TENDRING District Council has been presented with a special award by the Federation of Small Businesses in recognition of its work in supporting the local small business community.

TENDRING District Council has been presented with a special award by the Federation of Small Businesses in recognition ofr its work in supporting the local small business community.

The council has worked with the federation on a variety of projects and initiatives, including improvements to commercial and industrial areas within the district, development of the draft district plan, an FSB crime against business survey and the promotion of the Small Business Rate Relief Scheme.

A £537,000 grant received by the council through the Local Authority Business Growth Incentive (LABGI) has also been used to support small businesses.

Bill Pirie, FSB regional chairman for Essex, said: “The officers and councillors at Tendring District Council have worked well with our North-East Essex branch on a range of issues affecting small businesses in the district.

“Far too often the business community condemns local authorities for failing to help them but does not thank them when they do positive work to boost the local business community.

“That is why at our Essex region annual dinner held in Chelmsford we were delighted to present Tendring District Council with this special award as public recognition of the positive work they have done to help boost the local community.

“Our thanks go to them for the partnership work they have done with us and we look forward to working with them on more projects in the future.”

The FSB represents more than 200,000 businesses across the UK, making it the largest single organisation representing business interests in the country. The North East Essex branch of covers the postcode areas CO1 to CO16, plus CM7, which includes Braintree, Clacton-on-Sea, Colchester, Frinton-on-Sea and Harwich.