ACCA calls for big changes at Business Link
Needs to be better marketed
The government’s business advisory service
Business Link needs to be marketed
better and have its remit drastically changed, the
Association of Chartered Certified
Accountants has said.
The ACCA attacked the way Business Link is run in response to the
Department for Business, Enterprise, and
Regulatory Reform’s consultation exercise on simplifying business support
for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Professor Robin Jarvis, head of ACCA’s small business unit, said: ‘Low
awareness rates of Business Link’s work, the lack of relevance to small
businesses of support services and a complex and schizophrenic SME support
structure is preventing business from getting the support they need and deserve.
‘As the simplification programme develops, ACCA wants the Government to
analyse carefully whether Business Link should continue to offer such specialist
services which are currently more effectively provided by the private sector.’
Further reading:
Second ACCA council member joins rival institute
ACCA calls for tax policy board to be established