Federation of Small Businesses - FSB Weekly Brief, 37

In this week’s issue: Sunday Times bonanza, hard graft, bypasses, local taxes, young entrepreneur, road works, fraud protection, sales, bank charges.

1. FSB takes Sunday paper by storm

The Sunday Times just couldn’t get enough of the FSB this week. In an orgiastic glut of coverage, the universe’s favourite small business organisation was quoted no fewer than six times in the Sunday broadsheet on the following subjects: age discrimination rules, expanding small businesses, access to public money, e-commerce, employment law, getting brand recognition. I’m inclined to put ‘FSB’, ‘household’ and ‘name’ in the same sentence!

2. Award for hard graft

The FSB’s Stephen Alambritis, Head of Parliamentary Affairs, was in The Sun this week, mugshot and all, being paraded as one of the judges for the paper’s Graftas awards. Said the man himself: “Small businessmen and women are the unsung heroes of the economy.” Quite right too!

3. Road schemes on the scrapheap

Some road-building schemes have still not been delivered up to 70 years after they were first proposed, according to The Times this week. The FSB is a member of the Road Users Alliance, which campaigns for a better road network. An FSB spokesman said: “Many of the most urgently needed roads are not big enough for ministers to be able to show off at photo opportunities.”

4. Local tax idea gets the thumbs down

Suggestions by Sir Michael Lyons, who is leading an inquiry into all things local government, that small businesses should be subject to an extra tax to pay for the general betterment of local areas, were greeted with distaste in the Daily Mail this week. An FSB spokesman said: “It would be wholly unwise to introduce another tax at a time when it is tough out there already.”

5. FSB signs up young entrepreneur

A plucky 14-year-old entrepreneur has been signed up to the FSB. Lewis Bankes-Hughes has set up a graphic and website design business from his bedroom called Fluffy Duster and has already worked on projects for 20 companies. The teenage small business prodigy told the Daily Telegraph this week: “Fluffy Duster is there to help start up businesses and individuals who need good graphics and websites but can’t afford massive design bills and don’t have the time or expertise to do it themselves.”

6. Are roadworks affecting your business?

Steve Boulton Productions, an independent television production company, is making a programme for Channel 4’s Dispatches focusing on the state of Britain ’s roads and the impact of road works on the economy. If you consider your business is losing passing trade because of road works or not receiving deliveries on time due to traffic disruption, or affected in any other way, they would like to hear from you. Please contact Hannah Smith on 0161 200 8109, or email hannah.smith@sbproductions.tv.

7. Cybercrime seminar

The FSB has been working with the Fraud Advisory Panel's Cybercrime Working Group to put together a half day programme and seminarspecifically tailoredto small businesses about protecting themselves against fraud (computer fraud, ID fraud, card fraud). The event is on Monday 6 October. Interested members should go to the Fraud Advisory Panel website and download the conference programme and registration form. FSB members can claim a special rate of £60 + VAT (£70.50) quoting reference FAP/FSB06.

http://www.fraudadvisorypanel.org/newsite/Events/Events_FAP.htm.

8. Businesses required for new TV series

This newsletter has been reliably informed that sales-orientated businesses can receive help from a very high profile 'sales guru' and could get a one-way ticket to success. With a proven track record and a dynamic approach, the aforementioned guru intends to take your business from a lightweight contender to a heavyweight champion. Who are we to argue? The contact details are: hardsell@diverse.tv or phone 0207 855 7461.

9. The bane of bank charges…

Will be a subject on the BBC’s Money Programme, which is trying to get in touch with small businesses which have been paying bank charges that they feel are unfair. The programme can be contacted on 020 8752 4229.