Moving a business is a big undertaking. You have to find premises, potentially alter agreements with your suppliers, move your staff. But regions are shaped by the type of businesses that flourish there.
The staff put their money into the local economy and their time into the community. It is in local interests to encourage the kind of businesses we want into our areas.
The message I am getting is there seems to be a lack of information available in many cases. You see, put simply, businesses employ people, and so if they're going to shift the people, the things that are important to them are knowing that in a potential relocation their people are looked after.
Are there good schools, affordable houses or houses becoming available through some good planning, adequate public facilities such as hospitals and parks and recreation, childcare, and of course things to do.
While the economy is strong, some councils are putting business support into the "too hard" basket. But it is the actions we take now that will set us up to ride out any coming downturn.
Jeremy Tauri is an associate at Plus Chartered Accountants
