Now Look Closer - Put North Lanarkshire on Your Business Agenda

Planning a business conference, then why not look at the array of venues that North Lanarkshire Council can provide for your event. We have a range of facilities suitable for all types of events, large or small, including Motherwell's Concert Hall and Civic Theatre, Sir John Wilson Town Hall in Airdrie, Bellshill Cultural Centre and Cumbernauld New Town Hall. To find out more contact North Lanarkshire Council's Creative Services section on 0141 304 1956.

One of North Lanarkshire's key assets is its young, skilled and highly motivated workforce and the area also enjoys a position as a key European location for inward investment. In addition, superb road connections, as well as outstanding rail, sea and air links, make it a key business location. Eurocentral railfreight terminal is at Mossend and King George V Docks in Glasgow are easily reached from the M8 motorway.

North Lanarkshire's favoured geography makes it an attractive location in which to set up business.

There are plans for major infrastructural improvements on strategic road and rail links within North Lanarkshire which include the upgrade of the A8/M8 to motorway standard, improvement works at the A73 Auchenkilns junction at Cumbernauld, a new park-and-ride facility for Greenfaulds in Cumbernauld and the upgrade to the Shawhead junction.

Looking for commercial properties, then look no further than the council's Housing and Property Services Department, which has the responsibility for over 3,000 properties within North Lanarkshire. It also manages a range of other council buildings and assets including industrial units, office space, shops and storage space. Details of premises available for let are listed in the Available Property Bulletin published on the council's website, www.northlan.gov.uk.

And with the major new Ravenscraig and Gartcosh developments in the pipeline, North Lanarkshire will boast an additional range of new business opportunities.

North Lanarkshire Council Development Services Team provides a range of financial assistance, training and business development programmes tailored to met the specific needs of local companies.

A variety of Business Development Programmes are available and include;

Small Company Development - help for small businesses,

Lanarkshire Business Venture Fund - a competitive, discretionary grant and loan fund targeted to new and existing Lanarkshire based businesses undertaking a business growth project,

Lanarkshire Skills Training Programme - grant funding for companies for training purposes,

Job Rotation Programme - gives employees an opportunity to participate in training, whilst providing employment for a pre-trained, unemployed person, and

Management Placement Programme - provides work experience for unemployed managers, graduates and for undergraduates.

The council works with a number of partner agencies to help local businesses and companies grow and develop, including Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire (SEL), Scotland's main development agency. SEL helps the people and businesses of Lanarkshire succeed and by doing so aims to build a world-class economy.

The Scottish Chamber of Commerce, is the umbrella organisation of the local Chambers of Commerce. It promotes and protects the interests of local Chambers and their member companies across Scotland.

Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire, the Scottish Executive and the local authorities make up the Business Gateway. The Gateway can provide a wide range of advice ranging from company reports, credit checks and supplier information, to market research, training, tenders and information on Europe.

For further information on any of the Business Development Programmes please contact;

• Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire 01698 745454
• The Lanarkshire Chamber of Commerce 01698 426883
• The Business Gateway 01236 702020
• North Lanarkshire Council's Policy and
• Economic Development Service 01236 616265

Make North Lanarkshire your first choice for business.

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