Mayor brings Borough's Chambers together to drive forward business agenda

The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Craig Blaney, has brought together representatives from Chambers of Commerce across the Borough as part of his commitment to champion local business, enterprise and entrepreneurship during his year in office.

The meeting provided an opportunity for Chamber leaders to discuss the challenges facing businesses across Ards and North Down, identify areas where greater collaboration could make a difference and explore how the Mayor, Council and the local business community can work more closely together.

Councillor Blaney made entrepreneurship and business growth a central theme of his inaugural speech as Mayor. He pledged to use the position to promote Ards and North Down as the best Borough in Northern Ireland in which to establish, grow and scale a business.

The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Craig Blaney said:

"Local businesses are the heartbeat of our economy. They create jobs, support families, strengthen our town centres and contribute enormously to the character of our communities.

"When I became Mayor, I made a clear commitment that local businesses would never have a more willing champion. This meeting was an important first step in turning that commitment into action.

"Each of our Chambers has a deep understanding of the businesses and communities it represents. By bringing their leaders together, we can share ideas, identify common challenges and ensure the voice of business is heard clearly.

"I want us to move forward together. Where Council can provide practical support, that support should be easy to access and properly targeted. Where there are barriers holding businesses back, we should work together to remove them.

"Our ambition should be clear. Ards and North Down should be the best place in Northern Ireland to start a business, grow a business, scale a business and invest."

The discussion covered the importance of closer communication between the Chambers, support for independent businesses and town centres, opportunities to encourage entrepreneurship among young people and the need to promote Ards and North Down confidently as a place to invest.

Councillor Blaney also outlined his intention to continue meeting businesses throughout the Borough and to use the Mayor's office as a platform to highlight local success stories.

He added:

"This is not about holding one meeting and moving on. I want to develop an ongoing relationship with our Chambers and business leaders throughout the year.

"There is already a huge amount of talent, ambition and enterprise across Ards and North Down. We need to shout more loudly about that success, support those already doing business here and encourage the next generation of entrepreneurs to believe they can build something here too.

"When our businesses succeed, our communities succeed. By working together, we can create greater confidence, attract investment and help our Borough fulfil its enormous potential."

Commenting following the meeting, Frank Shivers said:

"It was encouraging to see the Mayor bringing the Chambers together at such an early stage in his term and placing business firmly at the centre of his plans for the year.

"Each area has its own strengths and challenges, but there is also a great deal we share. By working collaboratively and maintaining an open dialogue with the Mayor and Council, we can ensure that local businesses receive the support and representation they need.

"We welcome the Mayor's commitment to championing enterprise and look forward to working with him as this agenda develops."

The Mayor plans to hold further discussions with Chambers, local employers, entrepreneurs and organisations supporting economic development as part of his year-long programme.