Intervention and the Battle for Better Business

A critique of business support in the United Kingdom including exclusive interview with Lord Heseltine

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10: Localism (2005)

21st June 2015 By Elliot Forte

Martin Wyn Griffiths and Localism“Before my time it was fairly adversarial. There really was quite a sense of what do you need the Small Business Service for, we can do that, from the Regional Development Agencies. And we were looking at them as a group that was attempting to take over our turf. So it was all about ‘tanks on the lawn’ and all that.”
Martin Wyn Griffiths, CEO of the Small Business Service (2004)

In 1999, the Labour Party established eight Regional Development Agencies (RDA) to devolve power away from Central Government and put it back in the hands of local people. This quiet revolution stripped authority away from Civil Servants in London and transferred responsibility for economic strategy to the regions.

This chapter examines the political power game that initially held back the Regional Development Agencies and the subsequent quango conflict that crushed the Small Business Service.

In 2003, Regional Development Agencies were allocated £1.7 billion of taxpayer funds. Chapter 10 challenges the return on investment generated by the Localism movement.

It explains how the resulting drive for performance measurement diluted the value of support offered to small and medium sized businesses.

Filed Under: Chapter Profiles

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Chapter Profiles

01: Shoots and Roots (1992)

02: Business Link Goes National (1994)

03: A Toolkit of Competitiveness

04: Knowledge Driven Economy (1997)

05: Quality Marks (1999)

06: Whiz Kids and Failed Business People

07: A Small Business Service (2001)

08: Best in Class (2004)

09: Help Yourself

10: Localism (2005)

11: No Wrong Door (2007)

12: Recess Stress (2008)

13: Dragon’s Breath (2008)

14: Prisk End (2010-2011)

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Reception

“For many reasons, this is a valuable book, and it is an important innovation for the policy field in itself. It will remain a valuable historical resource.”

Review by Professor R Bennett MA PhD FBA. Emeritus Professor. Cambridge University

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Elliot Forte (Author)
Email: elliot.forte@businessthink.co.uk

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