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Posted By:
Frieda Wignall
Cities Team Researcher
South Lakeland District Council’s business support initiatives are targeting a green recovery from coronavirus. The council is supporting businesses to be part of a growing low carbon economy with three business recovery initiatives:
The first builds on its longstanding relationship with Cumbria Action for Sustainability. This charity delivers a range of services helping businesses improve their carbon literacy including workshops, advice, training, specialist consultancy services, and Cut Your Business Carbon online surgeries.
In 2019, Cumbria Action for Sustainability began supporting the town of Ambleside’s efforts to become a zero-carbon community. Through this work the charity created its carbon footprint calculator, which calculates a business’s total carbon emissions and gives a detailed breakdown of which areas of operations are the highest emitting.
The second initiative saw the council launch a partnership with consultancy Green Small Business in October 2020, giving local businesses the chance to get subsidised environmental advice and 12 months Green Small Business certification. The consultancy audits businesses’ environmental impact and drafts up tailored environmental policies for them.
South Lakeland District Council covers half of the fee companies would ordinarily pay, and a special offer meant the first 20 South Lakeland businesses signing up could register for a £50 rate instead of the ordinary £300 rate.
Finally, the council subsidises the Purposeful Business Start-Up Programme, a course run by local organisation Future Fixers. Since 2020 dozens of eco-friendly businesses have graduated from the programme, which gives people the skills and knowledge to run a green, ethical enterprise. The council’s backing means the usual £495 fee is cut to £60 for South Lakeland residents (and the course is free for residents receiving unemployment benefits).
Through these initiatives, a diverse collection of business across the district are more aware of environmental issues and are taking steps to become more sustainable.
In 2021 Cumbria Action for Sustainability:
By autumn 2021, 23 businesses, from artists to restaurants, had engaged with Green Small Business. Success stories include:
So far, between 2019 and 2021, 38 businesses have graduated from Future Fixers’ Purposeful Business Start-up Programme.
Joined up approach within the council – linking economy and environment
A key objective of the council’s Climate Change Action Plan is supporting businesses to become low carbon. Former Council Leader Giles Archibald signed ADEPT’s 5 Priorities for a Green Recovery from Covid-19 – priority two entails support for reskilling, retraining and research to accelerate the transition to a net-zero economy. To fulfil these commitments, the council has emphasised the advantages that environmental consciousness and action bring to a business. These include improved viability, profitability, and attraction to customers and clients. Robust political support from a senior level has reinforced this message.
Connection to tourism
South Lakeland is one of the UK’s most popular tourist destinations, a place where small businesses have flourished because they are part of the character that appeals to visitors. People visit the World Heritage Status landscape to experience nature; if South Lakeland is to preserve this identity, green jobs and businesses have to be part of its future.
In 2021, the UK Prosperity Index found that South Lakeland had the best conditions for enterprise in the country. The council has played a central role in nurturing this reputation.
Good relationship with the community
The council is keen to encourage localism by recognising expertise, empowering and trusting communities and individuals. This was a key factor in developing the partnerships that are now delivering change.
By outsourcing delivery to local organisations the council has avoided a top-down approach, reduced strain on stretched budgets and staff, and guaranteed that on-the-ground support meets local needs.
By engaging with multiple partners, the authority has produced a comprehensive package of business support with elements that complement, interact with and amplify each other. For the three implementing partners this was a chance to build connections in the area, resulting in an emerging network of low-carbon South Lakeland businesses.
The council’s work at a district level feeds into wider regional grant funding such as the Low Carbon Lake District Grants offered by the Lake District Foundation, which have provided several opportunities to small businesses for green upskilling during the coronavirus recovery. The council’s vision is for this web of organisations to become even more joined up and streamlined.
The council funded the package via its dedicated climate action budget, though it did not demand huge expenditure. South Lakeland has demonstrated how a fairly modest council contribution can catalyse wide-ranging impact.
Cumbria Action for Sustainability
South Lakeland District Council has provided funding since 2014. In 2018 the council committed to a more regular £50,000 every year. In 2020/21 it made a one-off payment of an extra £50,000 (for a total £100,000).
Green Small Business
The council committed to covering £150 of the standard £300 cost of Green Small Business accreditation for each business. This contribution was agreed on a flexible basis, because demand was uncertain prior to roll out. The council made the business case on the assumption of 10 businesses participating, equalling a council payment of £1,500. In the first year (2019/2020), uptake was slow with only five to six businesses taking part.
The following year, uptake was much higher due to efforts by the council to champion case studies from the previous cohort and increase exposure. Consequently, in 2020/2021, the council’s contribution was around £3,000. Averaged out, the council’s expenditure has been roughly £2,000 per year to support businesses to receive or renew accreditation.
Future Fixers
The council contributes £8,000 a year to run courses every six months, once in spring and once in autumn.
The running of each initiative was delegated to the relevant organisation, making it a relatively hands-free operation for the council. Besides ironing out a business case, very little time input was needed from officers, nor was it difficult for the package of support to receive formal approval.
Recovery from the impacts of coronavirus on businesses must be done in way that contributes to the low carbon economy, so that multiple benefits can be achieved. Supporting SMEs to go green is a way for local authorities to lead by putting a fairer, greener recovery into practice.
South Lakeland’s experience highlights the importance of promotion. The council publicised the various opportunities across its social media platforms to both its business and resident audiences.
The business arm of the council, Invest in South Lakeland, has a newsletter that goes out to businesses, whereas South Lakeland News newsletter goes out to residents via post – the initiatives were advertised regularly in both. However, the council suggest that more could be done to increase awareness and cross-promotion via word of mouth.
Small businesses are extremely time-pressed and therefore have less time to improve their green credentials. In response, both Green Small Business and Future Fixers emphasise that going green can boost profitability in an age when customers are increasingly valuing ethical business. Communications strategies must focus on this angle to get businesses on board.
To find out more, contact:
Molly Hogg at Cumbria Action for Sustainability – molly.hogg@cafs.org.uk
Karen Bentley-Brown at Future Fixers – karen@bentley-brown.co.uk
Tim Maiden at Green Small Business – tim@greensmallbusiness.com
Matthew Williams at SLDC – matthew.williams@southlakeland.gov.uk
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