Councils have welcomed the latest economic data which shows work to protect local economies in the recession has paid off.
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said a double-dip recession had been avoided and the recovery was ‘still on course' in the first quarter. Added to this, figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development predicted the UK economy's rate of growth would expand at an annual rate of 3.1%, beating European rivals.
Throughout the downturn, councils have worked hard to support struggling firms with a range of initiatives to ensure the survival of small and medium-sized firms, critical to communities and the supply chain.
Initiatives have ranged from enabling local firms to compete against outside companies for local authority contracts to offering relief on business rates. Setting up business advice units and promoting small and medium enterprises has also added strength to the early stages of the recovery.
Enabling companies to hire apprentices has helped not only local job markets but enabled central government to meet its pledge to support young unemployed people. The Local Government Association welcomed the positive indicators as recognition of months of hard work. A spokesman said: ‘Councils across the country have done a great deal to help move the economy from recession towards recovery.
