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Issue 70

30 June 2023

Tender insight workshops

Our Newham Business & Enterprise has been putting resources into supporting local businesses to understand how the Council buys goods and services. 

In June, we delivered a two-part tender insight workshop:

• Social Value – How to tackle it in a tender
• How to Complete a Selection Questionnaire (SQ)

Over 100 delegates joined the two workshops. Everything about these workshops was designed to instil confidence and help SMEs understand how the public sector buys services and how SMEs can get their business in the best position to win contracts with us and other Public Sector organisations.

Here’s a link to the two webinar recordings:

If you have any questions about the topics or would like the handouts from the event please get in touch:

Grants for Growth

Uber Eats and Visa's Grants for Growth programme provides $10,000 USD (or local equivalent) in sustainable packaging credits to restaurants based in London, Paris and Madrid. Apply by 7 July to be considered. 

For more information and to apply:

Grant Programme for London's Small Restaurants

Now in its second year, American Express has opened its Grant Programme for London's Small Restaurants. We encourage our small food businesses that are not part of a high street chain or franchise with annual revenue below £1m to apply by Friday 7 July.

Small independent restaurants including cafes, bars and pubs could receive £11,500 to help with making critical improvements, such as improving digital capabilities, revamping their dining spaces and kitchens, or making other physical improvements.

For more information and to apply:

Do you run your own business or are you looking for a space to grow your project? As a local resident/business in Manor Park and surrounding areas, your views can help us shape the types of spaces offer available and your preferred activities.  Maybe you run your own business? Have you been working from home in the last year and rely on local services much more? Or are you looking for a space to in which to grow your project? If so, we would really like to hear your views. To share your views and interest:

Discover our new vibrant market at Caxton Works Are you looking for a new independent shopping experience? Are you a new trader looking to sell your goods at our new vibrant market? Then Caxton Works could be for you!  Caxton Works is the new independent hub of Canning Town located on Hoy Street, E16 1ZA – a short walk from Canning Town tube station or Royal Victoria DLR station. Alongside the 13 permanent units offering a range of fresh and exciting products and experiences there is now a New Community Street Market taking place every Sunday 11:00-18:00. The area offers a lively vibrant urban space for all, offering wellbeing, retail, pop-up bars and restaurants, street food and entertainment. Check out the website for more information and to find out about upcoming events such as the monthly Caxton Crawl (last Friday of every month) and other community projects, workshops, cultural festivals and exhibitions. The market is well worth a visit if you're looking to buy quality, niche products followed by opportunities to relax and enjoy some chilled time.  Our Markets Team have a time-limited offer for new traders who can secure a free trial followed by low ongoing running costs. If you  would like to find out more please email with brief details of your products and services and they can discuss pitch availability and inform you of the next steps. Anyone taking up the offer will need to complete a formal market trader’s application form.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz with officers from the Council and the Royal Docks Team

Annual Business Reception 2023

On the 20 June the Mayor of London hosted his Annual Business Reception with senior business leaders at City Hall to celebrate London as a global hub for business investment.

The event showcased London’s diversity and success as a global hub for business investment, including being the top destination for international tech businesses and Europe’s leading city for financial services.  On the night there were also representatives from Newham, including Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz, the Royal Docks Team, Newham Sparks and Newham Business & Enterprise Team. Highlights from the Mayor of London’s speech included:

• Commitment to help boost economic prosperity.
• Overview of programmes which have helped raise £6.5 billion in inward investment for London.
• Introduction to ‘Grow London’ the brand-new flagship service, launched in May by the Mayor’s business growth and destination agency, London & Partners to help London and international companies expand their businesses and create the jobs of tomorrow for Londoners.

There is no lack of business support services in London. However, finding the right one can be tricky. For small business owners focusing on their day-to-day in a challenging economy, it can simply be too time consuming. 

We know businesses need a helping hand from experts who understand what support is readily available to them. Wayfinder can link you to experts who can do all the hard work, connecting you to impartial and excellent quality advice.

Find out more and to register:

Help shape a new resource for SMEs London & Partners the capital’s business growth and destination agency need your input to help shape a new resource for SMEs in London.  The new service will be pan-London and act as a single front door for small business owners across the capital to navigate and access support for their business, from using digital platforms to receiving 1-2-1 concierge service for specific needs.  The London & Partners team will aim to run sessions in July-August for small businesses to share their input in a workshop and/or interview format, if you wish to take part, you must express your interest by 7 July. This will require dedicating a sufficient amount of your time and SMEs taking part will be compensated with a retail voucher to the value of £100.   For more information and to take part:

Join the Every Woman Promise to champion women's health in the workplace

Every Woman Promise is a health and wellbeing programme for SMEs funded by the Department of Health and Social Care delivered by the Eve Appeal. It aims to support women in the workplace, help challenge taboos and raise awareness about issues, which can impact women’s wellbeing throughout their working lives.

To learn more or sign up to the Every Woman Promise:

Advert.

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Business Rates Improvement Relief: Draft regulations consultation

Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities has launched an open consultation which seeks views on draft regulations to implement the Business Rates Improvement Relief scheme.

The scheme will support organisations wishing to invest in their property. It will also ensure that no ratepayer will face higher business rates bills for 12 months because of qualifying improvements to a property they occupy.

The consultation closes on 25 August.

To scope the scheme and provide an official response:

Be wary of rogue business rates agents

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is urging SMEs to protect themselves from rogue business rates agents.

As reported in Issue 67, new rateable values for business properties came into effect in April.

Businesses are able to challenge their valuation if they think it’s incorrect. They can use a rating agent to do this. The VOA advises caution if an agent guarantees big business rate reductions, as some rogue agents submit inaccurate information, which can lead to penalties or increased rates bills.

To support SMEs the VOA has produced a checklist before SMEs appoint an agent.

For more information:

Open for tender

Prince’s Trust Get Started courses

The Prince’s Trust are seeking locally embedded organisations to run Get Started courses for young people in identified boroughs of Greater London including Newham. The procurement process is now open and is live for applications.

The tender reference is CA12476 and the deadline for submission is 12:00 Tuesday 11 July. If you don't have an account with Multi-Quote, please register first by clicking on 'access'.

For more information:

Glenman Corporation

Glenman Corporation a construction company working on the New City Road construction project in Newham. This is an exciting project containing 20 flats and six three-storey houses and two-storey wheelchair accessible homes. The project is seeking local suppliers for the following:

• Soft landscaping – £40-£80k
• Cleaning – £5k
• Cycle racks – £5-£20k
• Blinds – £5-£20k.

To express an interest, please register your business details below:

Give your business a competitive edge with the

Help to Grow: Management Course

The Help to Grow: Management Course is designed and delivered by entrepreneurs and industry experts from world-class business schools. It provides:

• access to 12 weeks of learning designed to fit alongside work commitments
• development of a bespoke business growth plan to help your business reach its full potential
• 1:1 support from a business mentor
• networking opportunities.

The programme is 90% funded by the Government, so you only pay £750.

For more information:

We’re looking for more catering suppliers The Council wants to expand its Food Business Directory list of approved catering suppliers for the smaller events which we organise.  To be considered, caterers must: Be based in Newham. Pay the London Living Wage to all staff (currently £11.05 and increasing to £11.95 this May). Have a Food Standards Agency four or five star rating. Offer high quality food which is healthy and sustainable. Invest in skills training for themselves and their staff. If you meet all these criteria, please apply:

Cost of doing business: supporting you

As the cost of living crisis continues to hit Newham hard, including businesses, here’s lots of helpful information:

Events and exhibitions

Fashion District Festival Tuesday 11- Sunday 16 July East London The six-day Fashion District Festival will celebrate fashion, sustainability, innovation and community engagement. The events will include pop-ups, swap shops, styling masterclasses, workshops and interactive experiences, to go along to and explore, learn, create, and network. Find out more and to secure your tickets:

Blog

Why are Ethnic Minorities Struggling to Reach the Top? Amit Shanker, deputy chief executive and chief digital officer here at the Council and leading on Newham Sparks, contributed to an article in Computer Weekly about the challenges facing ethnic minorities in the technology industry.

Webinars

Networking for Success

Wednesday 5 July – 14:00-15.00

Join leading life and business coach Rasheed Ogunlaru for this special free online event to help you build your networking strategy and activities in person and online to further your commercial opportunities. 

Free Employer Refugee Awareness Training

Thursday 20 July – 10:00-12.30

This free refugee awareness training is designed to support SMEs understand the recruitment process around taking on a refugee employee. This workshop will help you to find out about:  

• the definition of a refugee  
• refugees’ right to work  
• the benefits of employing refugees  
• support available for your business.

Get listed on our Business Directory

Our Business Directory is an online database that provides you with the opportunity to promote your products and services to potential customers and other businesses. It's free to join.

Our Newham Pledge: be a force for change

The Our Newham Pledge is a formal yet voluntary commitment from organisations across Newham to make decisions and take actions that tangibly demonstrate their support for the community wealth building agenda. Its ambitions are closely linked to the community wealth building principles reflecting Newham’s overarching objective to achieve long-term prosperity, wellbeing and fairness for local residents and proactively respond to the borough’s climate emergency.

We are here to help, contact us today at: