SPA strengthens lobbying activities
The Small Practitioners Association has signed up to a co-operation agreement with the Federation of Small Businesses to boost each organisation's lobbying activities.
Both groups will pool information on policy issues and join forces when consulting with government agencies.
The agreement follows informal co-operation between the two groups. In the past the SPA had fed information into the FSB?s financial affairs committee.
The SPA has a network of more than 1,100 practices, ranging in size from sole practitioners to three-partner practices. The FSB has around 160,000 small business members.
Peter Mitchell, chairman of the SPA, said: ‘By working together, the two organisations can be more effective.’
Ruling out a merger in the future, Mitchell said the SPA would be able to help FSB members by offering advice on accountancy firms’ services.
‘We can present and position accountancy practices in a better way so that small businesses can understand what they are looking for in an accountant.’
Mitchell said the SPA would be supporting FSB’s manifesto for small businesses, calling for a simplification and reduction of business rules and regulations.
The federation and association’s websites are at:
www.fsb.org.uk and www.spa.org.uk.