Businesses in Edinburgh are being invited to engage with dozens of Council services and business-facing partners face to face.
A Meet the Council event will be held on Tuesday 11 March at the Assembly Rooms on George Street between 10:00am and 2:00pm.
Local businesses are encouraged to register in advance to secure a space to the drop-in, with opportunities throughout the day to meet with key Council teams and hear about opportunities for business growth.
Offering a single point of access for business support, the event will bring together Council officers from:
• Building standards
• Business Gateway
• Commercial property
• Cultural events
• Economic development
• Edinburgh Convention Bureau
• Environmental health
• Film Edinburgh
• Forever Edinburgh
• JET (Jobs, Education & Training)
• Licensing
• Non-Domestic Rates
• Parental Employability Support
• Planning
• Procurement
• The Edinburgh Employer Recruitment Incentive
• The Edinburgh Guarantee
• Trading standards
• Visitor Levy
Throughout the day, external partners will also be on hand to present and share their expertise, including:
• Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, an independent membership organisation which supports over 1,000 organisations who employ more than 120,000 staff in the Capital
• British Business Bank, a government-owned economic bank specialised in helping businesses in the UK access financial support
• Federation of Small Businesses, a non-profit organisation that helps small businesses and the self-employed
• Capital City Partnership, the anchor delivery body for Edinburgh’s employability strategy, working together to tackle inequality and poverty
• Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network, which works to create opportunities for Edinburgh’s Social Enterprise community to develop and thrive
• Forth Green Freeport, Scotland’s largest opportunity to deliver a just transition to net zero, to attract significant inward investment, to build international trade and export capability, and to create high quality and well paid jobs.
Councillor Lezley Marion Cameron, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said:
Edinburgh continues to have the strongest local economy outside of London and the highest number of registered Living Wage employers in Scotland. The entrepreneurialism, success and resilience of Edinburgh business owners contributes hugely to what makes our City of Edinburgh a unique and special place to live and work.
We would like to work much more closely with the business community in offering meaningful support, understand more fully the views, concerns and aspirations of business owners and work jointly in securing a vibrant, sustainable, and resilient economic future for Edinburgh.
We recognise that the current economic climate is challenging, and in working together with businesses and other partners, there is much we can do collectively to grow and sustain Edinburgh’s economy, promote the benefits of Fair Work, and become a fairer city for all. That’s why the Council is hosting this opportunity for businesses to meet us face-to-face and engage with our staff teams across a variety of services which support business.
Whether you're looking for advice on funding, navigating licensing, or exploring how we can support employers, this event is an ideal place to connect directly with the right people, who can provide the advice and support you need.
The Meet the Council event is designed to support Edinburgh's business community and help foster a thriving, greener, and fairer economy - as outlined in the Council's Business Plan 2023-27.