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Business Planning

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Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council is committed to transforming the economy of Barnsley. Only by diversifying and creating a modern, knowledge driven economy can we hope to build a more prosperous future for the Borough.

Through Barnsley Development Agency and the Council's Community Based Learning Service, BMBC can help your business at any stage of it's development.

Business planning is an essential component of any successful business but it is often overlooked due to pressures of day to day work. A well considered and constructed business plan can help you safeguard your own investment, focus your efforts, ease external financing problems and provide you with a yardstick against which to measure your progress. Once developed you should aim to maintain your business plan in-line with your business.

Barnsley Development Agency (BDA) , a part of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, offers a range of advice to businesses as well as community and voluntary groups, including:

Investment and Development - supporting business

The Investment and Development team offers existing Barnsley companies and businesses relocating to the area a friendly and professional service, free of charge.

The team works in partnership with organisations offering business expertise and advice, including Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Business Link South Yorkshire and Barnsley Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to provide companies with a 'one stop shop' meeting all their expansion and relocation needs.

Services provided include:

land and property information and advice
planning information and advice
financial assistance and grant availability
recruitment and training support
business advice
ongoing project support and aftercare programme.

BMBC's Community Based Learning Service provides:

business advice - free, impartial and comprehensive business advice including pre-start, start-up and growing businesses
managed workspace - a range of modern workshops and offices for start up and new businesses located in 7 business centres across the Borough
administration support is usually available to our business centre tenants
links to education and training - through CBL's network of community base learning and resource centres and/or other specialist providers.

Barnsley Development Agency
Tel: 01226 784444
E-mail: info@barnsleydevelopmentagency.co.uk

Procedure

Writing a Business Plan is essential but it is not as difficult as it may sound - it is simply a way of putting your ideas on paper.

Areas that are usually covered:

description of the business - brief overview of purpose of business and location;
evidence of demand for product/service - size and location of market, buying patterns, type of research carried out;
sales and marketing - how you will promote your product/service, sales targets you've set, competition and how you will overcome it;
product/service - description and its advantages (and disadvantages);
management - CVs, training needed, what are these people bringing into business?
financial forecasts - cash flow forecast, profit and loss, initial financial outlay.

Your plan should contain the essential information required - not waffle. Try and tailor it to the needs of whoever is going to be looking at it. And remember, with financial predictions - best to be prudent - don't be over-optimistic!

Helplines

You can obtain examples of business plans from:

local libraries
business services or banks
Business Link Yorkshire, 1 Capitol Court, Capitol Business Park, Dodworth S75 3TZ (FreePhone: 08456 048048
Fax: 01226 735555 )
Barnsley Metroplitan Borough Council Business Advisers