o Key updates from Partners
Minutes:
Due to time constraints the Partner Updates were postponed to the next meeting however the following update had been provided by the FSB/FSB London prior to the meeting:
· FSB is the UK’s largest campaigning group for small businesses and the self-employed, lobbying governments on the issues that matter to small business owners. Anybody can subscribe to the Weekly Latest Newsletter here: https://www.fsb.org.uk/news.html
· On 18th October, FSB Outer South East London Bromley in-person event at Copper Ceylon was very successful; next in-person event being planned for January 2024.
· On 16th November: Celebrating Enterprise Week: The power of mentoring in driving small business growth (with Association of Business Mentors): https://www.fsb.org.uk/event-calendar/celebrating-enterprise-week-the-power-of-mentoring-in-driving-small-business-growth16nov23.html
· Both non-members and FSB members can attend FSB online and in-person events. Find out more by visiting the FSB Events Calendar: https://www.fsb.org.uk/event-calendar.html
· Join FSB National Chair Martin McTague and the Work Foundation for a pre-Autumn Statement webinar as part of Work Matters 2023. Topics of discussion will include what the latest labour market statistics & inflation data means for workers, businesses and communities, and how they will impact the Autumn Statement on 22nd November. The webinar is on 15th November: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/work-matters-2023-an-election-budget-tickets-738902345807?aff=oddtdtcreator
· FSB Policy Reports launched since last Bromley Economic Partnership: 1. Net Benefits? Small business use of online platforms - The digital revolution has transformed the landscape for small businesses. Online platforms, from eBay and Amazon to UberEats, Deliveroo and Booking. com, have become indispensable tools for many, as evidenced by the surge in their adoption during the Covid pandemic and their continued use since. Issues such as late payments are not unique to online platforms, but their prevalence among large online platforms has the ability to exacerbate the problem. Large online platforms have the resources to pay small businesses more promptly, and it is only fair and reasonable that they should be held accountable for their payment performance. Read the Key Findings and Recommendations here: https://www.fsb.org.uk/resource-report/net-benefits.html 2. The Tech Tonic - Shifting the ground on tech adoption and innovation in small businesses - Read the Key Findings and Recommendations here: https://www.fsb.org.uk/resource-report/the-tech-tonic.html
· ULEZ Expansion: FSB London is interested to know how small businesses in the Bromley borough adjusting to the ULEZ expansion. FSB London has lobbied the Mayor of London and many of our articles on our FSB Greater London Regional Voice pages share how we have lobbied, e.g., one article here: https://www.fsb.org.uk/resources-page/ulez-scrappage-scheme-and-retrofitting-what-small-businesses-and-sole-traders-need-to-know.html
· Thank you to those small businesses (FSB members and non-members) who took part in a recent survey of self-employed, entrepreneurs, sole traders, etc which will help FSB shape our policy asks of Government. See: https://x.com/FSBGtrLondon/status/1719019248314396745?s=20
· Thank you to FSB members and non-members who completed the FSB High Streets survey; also thank you to all London Borough Councils who recently took part in a series of online High Streets Roundtables hosted by FSB – a policy report on High Streets out soon.
· FSB policy report relating to ‘Tackling Business Crime’ out soon.
· Please be reminded of FSB Membership Benefits for small businesses (0 – 249 employees): https://www.fsb.org.uk/join-us/membership.html
· FSB London invites Bromley Council to take the FSB Local Leadership Pledge like other London Borough Councils have done so already. For information, please see: https://www.fsb.org.uk/resources-page/-fsb-policy--local-leadership.html Waltham Forest Council was most recent to pledge: https://x.com/FSBGtrLondon/status/1707735635669213258?s=20