From January 2000

Finally - The One Stop Shop
The creation of an American style Small Business Service (SBS) will be one step closer with the appointment of the Chief Executive around now. The SBS aims to provide "one stop" access, advice and support for all businesses employing up to 250 staff. The services delivered are geared towards helping these businesses grow and develop, and wherever possible they will be "virtual" allowing access 24 hours a day.

This is the third major reorganisation of the small business support sector in less than a decade, but each change has drastically improved on its predecessor. Mark Woods of Statius thinks "This time the emphasis does seem to be on small business and with over 96% of companies in the UK employing less than 10 people, this is really where the effort should be applied."

The result of this initiative will eventually see the demise of the Business Link network which over the last few years has done an excellent job of clarifying the support structures for the small business sector. The creation of the SBS will build on this, ensuring the services required are made even more accessible for small and medium sized companies.