17/02/2010
Promises, Elections and My Business event proves great success
More than 160 Colchester business people took part in a free business community event and fair supported by Colchester2020, Colbea, Essex FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) and the University of Essex.
The event was held at the Weston Homes Community Stadium and had a topical theme for all businesses coping with the recession.
Titled ‘’Promises, Elections and My Business’’, the event followed the BBC Question Time format and gave an opportunity to the main political parties to debate how they propose to support business during this period of economic uncertainty.
A panel of local political candidates from the Conservative, Green, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties and the Essex FSB then answered key questions on their party’s plans to help businesses for over one and a half hours.
Advice was also on offer from experts from education and business support organisations around employability, skills development and funding for programmes such as student placements, apprenticeships and job creation schemes.
Ewan Dodds, Colchester2020 Lead Partner for Business, Education and Employment, said: ‘’This was a real partnership event. It came about because all of the organisations involved felt it was important, given the current economic climate, for the business community to have the opportunity to air their views and concerns and find out more about what local politicians plan to do to address these. The event was a real success and attracted a diverse audience and a good level of debate around some very important issues.’’
