THOSE seeking to start or grow their business in West Dunbartonshire will continue to receive a helping hand.

For West Dunbartonshire Council is to invest up to £147,900 over the next three years to help provide them with workshops and expert help.

The assistance will come via the local authority's Business Gateway Service and will provide free advice and support to clients with a new business, running an existing business, or growing their business.

A report, which went before members of the Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development Committee (IRED) last Wednesday at Clydebank Town Hall, outlined the background to the business assistance scheme.

The report said: "An interim agreement was previously in place with the previous Business Gateway contractor (Business Development Advisers Ltd) to deliver workshops and expert help support to ensure these elements of the Business Gateway service remained available to clients throughout the previous procurement process.

"This agreement expired on 31 March 2016.

"The current contract for workshops and expert help was tendered openly and awarded for an 18 month timeframe which covers the period April 2016 – September 2017.

"It has not been possible to re-tender and award a new contract prior to the expiry date due to staff turnover in the Procurement Team and the high number of tenders being progressed.

"Due to this situation the contract will be extended for a six month period until March 2018 during which time a tendering exercise will be carried out by the Procurement team with an award date of 1st April 2018."

The anticipated contract spend for the provision of workshops and expert help on behalf of the Business Gateway service over the potential three-year period is up to £147,900.

The report also states how the scheme will be funded, adding: "The current annual budgeted cost for this contracted element of the Business Gateway service is £49,300.

"This will be funded through annual income received from the Scottish Government to deliver Business Gateway services of £38,500 and Business Gateway Plus funding of £10,800 through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF.)"

Members of the IRED committee agreed to initiate a tender for up to £147,900 over a three-year period from April 1 2018 to March 31 2021 to provide the expert help and business assistance.

extension of existing arrangements to allow for re-tendering process but here’s a quote for you as requested:

Damon Scott, chief executive of Dunbartonshire Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the extension to existing arrangements.

He said: “The Business Gateway provides a vital role for business in Dunbartonshire and it is good to know that there will be continuity of this excellent service during the tendering process. The chamber will continue to work with the Business Gateway team to ensure that we help ensure as many businesses in Dunbartonshire as possible benefit from the wide range of workshops and other support available both through Business Gateway and West Dunbartonshire Council.”