High growth businesses celebrated at Old Shire Hall event

Businesses which have grown with support from Warwickshire County Council have received a ringing endorsement from Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and chairman of the West Midlands Combined Authority.

The achievements of the county’s small and medium-sized businesses were celebrated at the high profile networking event hosted by Warwickshire County Council in the historic Old Shire Hall building in Warwick.

In the last three years, small capital grants totalling £1.34 million have been awarded to businesses from Warwickshire County Council's Capital Growth Fund. This had enabled the businesses to invest in facilities, equipment and skills, at the same time creating jobs.

In total the money has led to the creation of 104 jobs and unlocked a further £2.7 million of private sector investment to boost the Warwickshire economy.

Mr Street was joined by Leader of Warwickshire County Council Cllr Izzi Seccombe and both delivered speeches congratulating the county’s business community on their successes. Also present were business leaders from across the county, including the council's managing director Monica Fogarty, assistant director (communities) Mark Ryder and head of the Economy and Skills team David Ayton-Hill.

Cllr Seccombe spoke to delegates about the importance of local businesses to the Warwickshire economy and underlined the county council’s support for small and medium-sized businesses.

Andy Street spoke of the West Midlands Combined Authority’s commitment to supporting the Warwickshire business community. Following their speeches both answered questions from the audience.

Delegates viewed a film in which ten beneficiaries explained how the fund has helped them grow.

The video included businesses such as Silson Ltd in Southam which manufacture a range of ultra-thin membranes used by universities and government-research facilities. Silson used the grant from Warwickshire County Council to purchase new equipment to make a new range of x-ray filters and improve the quality of their electrodes on their heater cells.

Also featured in the video was Pyments Law, a recent addition to Pyments - a quality surveyor firm - which specialises in construction law. The firm has been able to use the money to purchase a new piece of software, increasing efficiency and move to plush new offices in the site of a former coach house.

You can watch the video by clicking here.