PM endorses the role of business in the community

Trust declares war on jobless totals

A Major new job-creation drive was spearheaded in Barnet on Friday with the official launch of an enterprise trust to encourage small businesses in the borough.

The Barnet Enterprise Trust—Barnet for short—is a joint venture between the council and local business, aimed at advertising, encouraging and aiding fledgling businesses in the borough.

The scheme was given the Prime Ministerial seal of approval on Friday. Finchley MP, Margaret Thatcher, endorsed the official launch with a speech on the benefits of small businesses and the role that agencies like Barnet could play in fostering them.

The scheme was given the Prime Ministerial seal of approval on Friday. Finchley MP, Margaret Thatcher, endorsed the official launch with a speech on the benefits of small businesses and the role that agencies like Barnet could play in fostering them

The scheme, one of 250 similar projects nationally, was the idea of Barnet Council leader Leslie Pym. Finchley Conservative agent Andrew Thomson and Peter Lovell, general manager of the London Enterprise Agency.

Mr Lovell said they had been motivated by the borough's jobless figures— “which though they're not high in comparison with some boroughs, are still unacceptable,” he said.

The enterprise trust aims to bring together the experience and expertise both of private companies and the local council to help anyone interested in starting a business.

“I see it as a sort of corporate Citizen's Advice Bureau,” said Mr Lovell. “We are trying to encourage people to set up on their own; to show them that there is an alternative to unemployment or working for someone else.”

Cr. Leslie Pym added: “We want to encourage people to be their own boss and create new jobs.

“When we first started work on the trust, the unemployment figure for Barnet was 6.7 per cent; not high by national standards, but a figure we wanted to see reduced.”

Barnet, by encouraging and helping people with ideas, could reduce that figure, and at the same time create wealth for the country, he said.

Launching the trust, Mrs Thatcher outlined the sort of help Barnet could provide.

“Many people want to be their own master in a small business—and if it grows, that's very good. But when they start off they often don't know what to do.

“They may have marvellous designs, but they might not have business heads, and they've got to be put together with someone who has,” she said.

“Training and teaching them what to do can prevent them from making mistakes and getting discouraged and will enable many of them to succeed.”

The trust, suggested Mrs Thatcher, could encourage enterprise in all spheres, not just modern high-technology industry.

“A lot of money is still spent on the ordinary things which we all need, and there are tremendous new services developing. Don't forget that leisure and pleasure are big business for someone.

Chairman of the trust is Don McCrickard, managing director of the financial group United Dominions Trust, based in New Barnet.

Other trust directors are drawn from a wide range of local firms, including Pentland Industries of Finchley, Dixons, Bejam, Smiths Industries, Alpine Double Glazing, National Car Parks, an accountant, an employment agency and two major clearing banks.

The trust, based in Hertford Lodge in East End Road, Finchley, will be funded by the sponsor companies and the government's local enterprise grants scheme.

Daily running of the trust is under Peter Lovell, but plans are in hand to recruit a full-time director, with additional help being provided by staff seconded from sponsoring companies.

Work will include—

• Liaising with schools and colleges to promote self-employment.

• Advice to anyone thinking of starting their own firm.

• A news-sheet giving details of all new developments of interest to small firms.

• Training courses, both introductory and detailed in nature.

• Financing projects, through national and industrial sponsorship schemes.