Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Business Forum

The Forum meets quarterly in varying venues, all meetings start at 4.00 pm. It covers a range of topics relevant to the local business community in order to consult with them and to ask for their involvement. The Forum welcomes new members from the business community, both large and small enterprises, throughout the Borough, particularly from the industrial and commercial sectors.

To join the forum (No membership fees necessary), and be included in the mailing list for future meetings, please contact Fran Hughes on (01642) 526024 or email our contact details shown to the right, or log onto www.stocktonbusinessforum.co.uk

The meetings for 2010 are:

1st June

7th September

30th November

Aim:
The Business Forum will sustain and expand the working partnership between the local Business Community and Public Sector bodies.

Objectives:
1. To improve multi-directional communication, feedback and discussion between members of the Forum, the Local Authority and other agencies.

2. To enable local businesses to influence the content and timing of projects planned by Public Sector agencies, in the spirit of true partnership.

3. To promote and encourage initiatives that will have a beneficial effect on the expansion of existing Stockton Businesses and those that will encourage new businesses to locate in Stockton-on-Tees.

4. To assess business need and identify opportunities that may be considered within the Local Strategic Partnership programme i.e. Stockton Renaissance.

5. To provide, through representation at board level, a business response to the Local Strategic Partnership - Stockton Renaissance.

Members can raise topics for discussion and a programme of meetings is arranged around these. Forum members also find the meetings to be a valuable source of up to date information on Regeneration initiatives taking place in the Borough. The format is intended to enhance and open up the opportunities for more effective business involvement and influencing of policy through the Local Strategic Partnership mechanism.

Business Forum Website

The Stockton Business Forum website supported by Stockton Borough Council and the North East Chamber of Commerce aims to expand the working partnership between the local Business Community and Public Sector bodies.  The website will carry all details of business forum meetings enabling those unable to attend or looking to engage to follow developments and good news stories.    

The website which is free to all local Stockton based business to register and access provides a portal to all tender opportunities with Stockton Borough Council, and additional North East Councils informing local business of a wide range of opportunities to contract with the local authority.  

In addition the website allows members to display key details and contact links of their business in an easily accessible and locally promoted web based location.  A search facility is available that allows any website visitor to search for local businesses by name sector or service description.    

Stockton Business Forum would like to expand the opportunity to all Stockton based business to register on line, and take advantage of the resources, networking and advertising opportunities available upon the purpose built web site.    

Business Registration Scheme

In partnership with Stockton Business Forum, Stockton Council has established a Business Registration Scheme. This is a website-based database which Council officers can use to identify local businesses when seeking quotations for a wide range of contract opportunities. It will also present potential for inter-trading between all companies on the database and tender opportunities are advertised on this web site.

Data from 2007/08 has indicated the Council's commercial spending was £163m totalling approximately 96,000 transactions with around 7,000 suppliers.

The aim of the Business Registration Scheme is to help local business compete for the contracts the Council awards by allowing officers to engage with local suppliers, service providers and contractors listed.  The scheme will promote the diversity of the local economy across all Council Departments.    

To register your business for this scheme and expand your working relationship with the Local Business Community, and learn what opportunities exist to work with Public Sector organisations please click on the web link to the left

In addition members of the scheme will automatically receive a business E-Bulletin, a short and punchy update on general business support initiatives.
NB: It must be emphasised that there is no guarantee of any work from Stockton Council if you register, but it will enable your company details to be viewed by Council officers, who may require your services.

Last Updated:  17.3.10