Posted on: Wednesday 22 February 2023
A new service to help and support more than two and a half thousand businesses in Torfaen will launch next month.
Torfaen Business Direct will offer a one stop service for all business enquiries, from planning and environmental health queries, to grant and funding advice, as well as business development support.
It will be managed by Torfaen Council’s new Torfaen Business Engagement Team and is part of the Council’s wider plan to encourage home-grown businesses and attract new investment in the borough.
The plans have been backed by local businesses, including the Torfaen Business Voice forum which represents 50 local companies.
Chairman Ashley Harkus, who is managing partner of Everett, Tomlin, Lloyd and Pratt solicitors in Pontypool, said: “When we bought our office in Pontypool in 2020, we needed to speak to a variety of different departments.
“We got the help and advice we needed but if you are a new business or new to Torfaen, you won’t necessarily know who to contact.
“Having one point of contact will speed up the time it takes for businesses get the information and help they need.”
Torfaen Business Direct will provide a single telephone number and email address for any business query, and every enquiry will be followed up by the team to ensure it has been successfully dealt with.
The project has been funded thanks to £287,447 from the UK Government UK Shared Prosperity Fund, as part of a wider project to support business engagement in Torfaen.
Councillor Jo Gauden, Executive Member for Economy, Skills and Regeneration, said: “Torfaen Business Direct will offer a quicker and more efficient service, which will save businesses time. It will also ensure business owners are aware of the wide range of support on offer to them.
“Currently, more than 40 per cent of businesses in Torfaen fail in the first three years. We want to ensure we can do all we can to help those businesses succeed and flourish.”
Notes to editor: The new Torfaen Business Direct service will be launched at an event at the Springboard Business Innovation Centre on Tuesday March 7, between 11am and 12.30pm. For media enquiries, contact Kate Blewitt on kate.blewitt@torfaen.gov.uk or 01633 648735.
Photographed: Ashley Harkus and Councillor Jo Gauden