E-Survey Shows Small Business In Worcestershire Needs More Support (West Worcestershire Liberal Democrats)

West Worcestershire Liberal Democrats <contact.us@westworcslibdems.org.uk>

E-Survey Shows Small Business In Worcestershire Needs More Support

February 24, 2009 2:14 PM

Over fifty businesses in Worcestershire have responded to an e-survey sent out by West Worcestershire's Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Richard Burt, to find out what help local businesses need.

Mr Burt, who is currently walking Worcestershire towns to seek the views of business owners, said that Government support is failing to help small businesses in the county and jobs would continue to be lost.

"The employment outlook is gloomy with almost 20% either laying off staff, or planning to lay off members of staff. Almost 25% of businesses are reducing working hours for staff and just under 15% are postponing plans to take on any further staff," said Richard.

"Worryingly, 36% of businesses surveyed think they may struggle to maintain their cash-flow, and 13% see the viability of their business as seriously impaired or in doubt. This is not helped by the increases in interest rate charges which almost a quarter of businesses have absorbed from their banks.

"Overwhelmingly the bail-out of the banks has failed to help small businesses in West Worcestershire, with just under 65% stating this had not had any positive impact on their own business.

"Less than 5% felt the 2.5% reduction in VAT would help their business, with over 7% reporting that having to adjust their prices this year and next year would lead to an overall increase in their costs!

"Small businesses have little confidence in being able to get any effective support from government at all, and whilst they are resigned to the fact that it is their own efforts that will make the real difference, the pace and scale of changes here may undermine even these efforts in too many cases if some effective and timely support is not forthcoming."

Mr Burt will be contacting councils and business organisations in Worcestershire to press for more help, and will also forward the findings to the Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable and his Treasury team in Westminster.