Advice and support

Newport VVP - aerial April 2017

Newport City Council's business services team helps business start-ups, established Newport businesses and businesses looking to relocate to the city.

Skilled advisors will help you locate suitable premises, guide you through council related regulations, provide assistance in accessing financial aid, and help access expert advice from partner agencies.  

Email or call to discuss your business needs!

Email [email protected] or telephone (01633) 656656 

Partner organisations

Employers looking to train new employees can upskill existing staff or develop managers by contacting Coleg Gwent's business team.  

The Welsh Government through Business Wales offers financial, employment, equalities and environmental management advice.

HMRC offers advice on Starting your own business and Becoming an Employer. 

The University of South Wales offers expertise, training, consultancy and graduate skills.

South Wales Chamber of Commerce is a membership-based business support organisation, quality-accredited by the British Chambers of Commerce.

Groundwork in Wales - Green Dragon Environmental Standard offers an environmental management system relevant to the needs of businesses and organisations.Groundwork’s Green Dragon Standard can support your company or organisation in implementing an Environmental Management System (EMS), which is appropriate to the nature and scale of your activities. Benefits include, reduced business costs | Increased competitiveness | Compliance with legislation | Continuous improvement through a stepped approach to EMS

Newport has an award-winning university in the city centre – part of the University of South Wales (USW). A core USW strength is to deliver industry relevant education and research that is applied to real life.

Coleg Gwent is one of Wales’ top performing further education colleges with a campus in Newport delivering vocational and main qualifications

Cardiff Capital Region Skills Partnership is responsible for identifying growth sectors and skills demands across the region

The council’s Work-Based Learning Academy is a flexible employment based development pathway that aims to develop the city’s workforce to meet the skills requirements of businesses and investors. Download the Work Based Learning Academy brochure (pdf) to find out more about how your business could benefit, or email [email protected] or telephone (01633) 414838

Support and Guidance for start-up and expanding businesses

Business Wales

Business Wales supports the sustainable growth of small and medium size enterprises by offering information, guidance and a number of business support services, including business planning, marketing, training courses and help with finance.

Find out more:
Visit: www.businesswales.gov.wales/ or call 03000 6 03000 for more information.

 

Development Bank for Wales

Flexible finance for businesses based in Wales from £1,000 up to £5 million. Loans and equity. Secured and unsecured. Investing in start-ups, early stage enterprises and more established businesses, they provide short-term project finance, longer term growth finance, follow on investment and additional working capital.

Find out more:
Visit: www.developmentbank.wales/ or call 0800 5874140 for further information.

 

Superfast Business Wales 

A fully funded business support service that helps small and medium sized businesses exploit all available digital technologies. Take advantage of attending practical masterclasses, 1:1 support from a digital business advisor and free downloadable software. 

Find out more:
Visit: www.businesswales.gov.wales/superfastbusinesswales/ or call 03000 6 03000 further information.

 

Princes Trust

Supporting young people aged 18-24 to work on their business ideas and take them forward with training, mentoring and low interest loans. 

Find out more:
Visit: https://www.princes-trust.org.uk or call 0800 842 842 for more information.

 

Chwarae Teg 

Agile Nation 2 is funded by the European Social Fund through Welsh Government. Delivered by Chwarae Teg the project has been developed to improve the position of women working in the private or third/voluntary sector. The Employer’s Programme offers fully-funded, bespoke business support, which includes 1:1 consultancy, a business culture survey, results analysis with recommendations, tailor made equality & diversity action plan and up to 35 hours of fully funded support over a period of 12 months.

Find out more:

Visit: www.chwaraeteg.com/projects/an2-womens-career-development-programme/ or call 0300 365 0445 for more information.

 

Careers Wales

Careers Wales provides free services tailored for employers, including recruitment support, employment & legislation and redundancy support.

The Apprenticeship Scheme works with business to develop employees providing work based learning and training to develop skills and experience.

Find out more:

Visit: http://www.careerswales.gov.wales/employers/ or call 0800 028 4844 for more information.

 

Carbon Trust Wales 

Supporting organisations across Wales to tackle energy costs, lower their carbon footprint and to move towards a sustainable, low carbon economy. 

Find out more:
Visit: https://www.carbontrust.com or call 0300 123 1100 further information.

 

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) 

HMRC offers detailed information for businesses. The Small Business Online Forum is a quick and easy way for small businesses to get answers to their tax questions, as well as help with starting a business and support for growing a business. 

Find out more:
Visit: https://www.gov.uk/

 

ACAS 

ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) provides free and impartial information and advice to employers and employees on all aspects of workplace relations and employment law. 

Find out more:
Visit: www.acas.org.uk or call 0300 123 1100 further information.

 

University of South Wales (USW) Exchange 

USW Exchange is a purpose built centre that can facilitate networking, diagnostic sessions, growth seminars and other activities which support start-ups and existing SME’s. These services are run by academics and students. The Business Clinic aims to provide answers to business queries developed in partnership with students, thus enabling cross cutting skills development. 

Find out more:
Visit: http://www.southwales.ac.uk/business/ and https://www.southwales.ac.uk/business-services/usw-exchange-events-membership/ or Call 01443 482482 for more information.

 

Coleg y Cymoedd 

Coleg y Cymoedd is able to offer flexible training, advice, development and bespoke solutions for business and industry. They have specialist centres, commercial training, professional courses and apprenticeships. 

Upskilling@Work is designed to enhance skills and increase productivity in the workplace, by providing subsidised opportunities for accredited workforce qualifications. 

Find out more:
Visit: http://www.cymoedd.ac.uk or Call 01443 663128 for more information.

 

Social Business Wales 

Provides intensive 1:1 support to social businesses across Wales that are looking to expand, or create jobs. 

Find out more:
Visit: www.businesswales.gov.wales/socialbusinesswales or call 03000 6 03000 further information.

 

Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WVCA) 

Advice, information and support for charities and voluntary organisations, including employing and managing people. Social Investment Cymru, part of WCVA, also administers the social business growth fund, communities investment fund and micro business loan fund. 

Find out more:
Visit: http://www.wcva.org.uk or call 0800 288 8329 for more information.

 

Wales Co-operative Centre 

Wales’ national body for co-operatives, mutual’s, social enterprises and employee owned businesses. 

Find out more:
Visit: http://wales.coop/ Or Call 0300 111 5050 for more information