Business Development Support In Fife

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Business Development Support In Fife

Published:

23 September 2022

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Invest Fife

Fife Council’s Economic Development team works closely with Fife Council Planning Services and are committed to providing a flexible approach to your needs – whether you have a new investment project, or you are planning to grow your indigenous business in Fife.

Our team ethos and what drives our services to you is our commitment in making “Fife the best place to do business”.

We are dedicated to developing a team approach to every enquiry that comes in to us no matter what size or scope of your proposition. We will work with you beyond the investment journey so that your business grows and succeeds in Fife.

Our supportive, experienced and well-connected team can:

Provide a designated case officer as a single point of contact
Support to develop major planning applications to provide greater certainty for applicants in terms of the process and timescales.
Facilitate access to finance, grants and both local and national incentives
Offer relocation advice and tours. Virtual tours are also available
Help to find the best space for your business, be it offices, co-workspaces/hubs, industrial and bespoke builds
Assist with information on new developments and planning proposals
Provide access to Opportunities Fife partnership who can support local businesses in accessing local employability initiatives.
Liaise with public transport providers to establish new infrastructure where appropriate
Facilitate new business connections and introduce you to sector networks

A region to grow

Fife is the perfect choice for business. With it’s excellent road and rail networks it is able to attract a skilled workforce from both inside and outside of Fife. The Invest Fife team will work with you to help your company realise the workforce you need now and into the future.

Fife’s workforce exceeds 230,000 people and the region is within an hour’s drive of 1 million workers. It makes a significant contribution to the Scottish economy with an annual business turnover of £12.9 billion that supports around 10,500 businesses and 104,000 jobs.

Fife has a strong commitment to workforce training, life-long learning and skills development – creating the conditions to attract and retain talent, develop a knowledge economy and promote a culture of enterprise.

Connectivity to the rest of the world

Our transport links via road, rail and even sea enable businesses of all types to use Fife as a base.

ROAD

Edinburgh 45 Minutes
Dundee 45 minutes
Stirling 55 Minutes
Perth 35 Minutes
Glasgow 1 hour

MOTORWAYS

South & west: M90, M8, M73, M74, M6, A1M & M1
North: M90

AIR
Airport connections from Edinburgh

20 direct UK destinations
87 International including US and Middle East
46 flights per day to London

RAIL

Main East Coast Rail link
Fife Circle – Edinburgh
Main West Coast Rail link
Freight links

PORTS

Rosyth Deep Water Port
Grangemouth Docks
Kirkcaldy
Methil
Burntisland

ROAD

Edinburgh 45 Minutes
Dundee 45 minutes
Stirling 55 Minutes
Perth 35 Minutes
Glasgow 1 hour

MOTORWAYS

South & west: M90, M8, M73, M74, M6, A1M & M1
North: M90

AIR
Airport connections from Edinburgh

20 direct UK destinations
87 International including US and Middle East
46 flights per day to London

RAIL

Main East Coast Rail link
Fife Circle – Edinburgh
Main West Coast Rail link
Freight links

PORTS

Rosyth Deep Water Port
Grangemouth Docks
Kirkcaldy
Methil
Burntisland

A skilled workforce

Fife is the perfect choice for businesses attracted by proximity, first-class business propositions, a capable workforce and lower costs.

Companies locating in Fife can benefit from recruitment, selection and training support through Fife Council’s Opportunities Fife and Employability Team.

The region has a strong commitment to workforce training, life-long learning and skills development – creating the conditions to attract and retain talent, develop a knowledge economy and promote a culture of enterprise.

Developing the Young Workforce

The aim of Developing the Young Workforce is to create a rich variety of high quality learning opportunities, linked to skills needs and employer demand, enabling young people to be informed and empowered to make smart decisions about the best route to work for them.

For more information visit: https://dywfife.com

Enterprise in Education

At Fife Council, the Economic Development team are committed to linking both educationand industry together. Our Meet the Business programme is a great way to invest in your future workforce by sharing a short bio of your business and the skills required to work in your industry. This helps to provide our young people with an insight into working life in the industry.

For more information, please visit: www.investfife.co.uk/who-are-we/culture-ofenterprise

University of St Andrews

The University of St Andrews ranks in the top100 universities in the world. Founded in 1413 it offers students a world-renowned educationthat prepares them for working in a professional environment.

For more information about the University and what it has to offer please visit: www.st-andrews.ac.uk

Fife College

Fife College boasts first-class facilities, expert teaching and a wide range of courses suited to the needs of local and national industry. With five campuses across the region and a host of local learning centres the College is within easy reach of the Fife community making learning even more accessible than ever before. FifeCollege delivers over 1,000 education and training courses for over 22,000 students studying at a range of levels from introductory and access programmes, through craft and intermediate levels to higher diplomas, degrees and post-graduate studies.

For more information visit www.fife.ac.uk

Scotland’s Rural College

Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) is a specialist horticultural and agricultural institution. Based at the Elmwood Campus in Cupar, SRUC plays a national strategic role in serving the needs of the rural land-based sector and more significantly has become the premier training provider to Scotland’s growing golf industry and recognised as a Centre of Excellence in golf-related studies.

For more information visit: www.sruc.ac.uk

Opportunities Fife Partnership

Opportunities Fife can provide local employers with a single entry point and act as a gateway into accessing a whole range of services available to help you and your business. They will discuss your recruitment needs, develop tailored training solutions to meet the real skill needs of your business and match these to local individuals looking for work.

For more information visit: www.opportunitiesfife.org

Fife has a clear commitment to lifelong learning and developing further and higher education.

Fife College enjoys excellent links with industry and has a proud tradition of vocational and skills-based training and education.

Fife is also a home to Scotland’s oldest university, The University of St Andrews, which attracts students and teachers from around the world. Its world-class reputation in teaching and research consistently place St Andrews top in Scotland and among the top five in the UK.

The UK university rankings

University of St Andrews 4
University of Edinburgh 12
University of Glasgow 23
University of Aberdeen 37
University of Dundee 49
University of Stirling 50
University of Abertay Dundee 108

Source: University Rankings and League Tables 2023 (thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk)

2662

people studying for a
Modern Apprenticeship in Fife

1 million

workers within
an hour's drive

£12.9Bn

Annual business
turnover

world class universities
within an hour's drive

Modern business infrastructure

It’s not just the location and the people that make Fife such a great place to invest, it’s the help you’ll receive too.

Whether you’re looking for office space, needthe inside track on what’s happening in theregion, or want to know how to tap into the besttalent, we’re here to help.

Invest Fife helps businesses to locate, expandand flourish here in Fife. We provide a range ofsupport services for existing businesses and potential investors, making it easy to realise your ambitions for growth.

Business Property

Fife Council’s Business Property Team manages a portfolio of premises to lease containing almost 300 industrial and office premises at locations throughout Fife. We can also assist in a search for business property within Fife, with access to a comprehensive list of availability within Fife.

Employment Land for Business

Fife Council maintains a portfolio of land which contributes to the available supply of employment land across Fife. The portfolio offers a range of quality sites in terms of location and size for office, manufacture, storage and distribution uses.

Fife Council Trade Development

Delivered by Fife Council’s Economic Development Team, the Trade Development programme offers a practical and effective way for Fife companies to easily participate in events and trade shows. We organise groupstands and visits for major UK and international exhibitions and conferences including provision of a range of support services from advice and information to customised training programmes. In conjunction with Fife Council Economic Development, Fife Chamber of Commerce, Business Gateway Fife and Scottish Development International support and advice is available for businesses looking to consider trading in new markets, but also for those already exporting but wishing to improvecurrent processes and expand further.

Flexible workspaces including event space and meeting rooms available

Flexible workspaces available across Fife which offers modern, professional, and affordable offices, together with modern events space, easily accessible co-working areas and private meetings rooms. For more information visit: www.investfife.co.uk/land-property/

Environmental Services

Environmental Services are responsible for public protection, food safety, trading standards and health and safety enforcement in a wide range of businesses. The service is committed to provide high quality advice and assistance to any new or existing business to enable them to comply with any relevant legislation including internet trading.

For more information visit: www.fife.gov.uk/kb/business

Planning

Fife Council’s Planning team delivers a professional service to customers including processing of applications, breaches of planning and pre-application advice.

For more information visit: www.fife.gov.uk/kb/docs/articles/business2/planning-and-building-standards

Building Standards and Safety

Supports all applications to build and ensures they meet certain standards to make sure they are safe for people to use, save energy and provide facilities for people with disabilities.

For more information visit: www.fife.gov.uk/kb/docs/articles/business2/planning-and-building-standards

Fife Trusted Trader Scheme

This scheme was launched in January 2011 and is led by Fife Council Trading Standards. It’s a membership scheme which uses an online directory of local trades who have made a commitment to treat their customers fairly. Trusted Trader is designed to help customers avoid rogue traders; help customers make amore informed choice when choosing a trader and promote good business practice.

To apply to become a part of the scheme orto search for a trusted trader visit: www.trustedtrader.scot/Fife/

Wider business support

It’s not just the location and the people that make Fife such a great place to invest, it’s the help you’ll receive too.

Whether you’re looking for office space, needthe inside track on what’s happening in theregion, or want to know how to tap into the besttalent, we’re here to help.

Scottish Enterprise

Scottish Enterprise is Scotland’s national economic, enterprise, innovation andinvestment agency. Scottish Enterprise works with public and private sector partners to develop the business environment and deliver a range of dedicated support services locally, nationally and internationally.

For more information visit: www.scottishenterprise.com

Scottish Development International (SDI)

SDI is an organisation which helps overseas businesses tap into Scotland’s key strengths in knowledge, high level skills, technology and innovation and also helps Scottish companies do more business overseas and to promote Scotland as a good place to live and work. It is jointly operated by the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise.

For more information visit: www.sdi.co.uk

Business Gateway Fife

Business Gateway Fife is part of the integrated economic development team in Fife Council who provide a wide range of support, advice, and business skills workshops to individuals looking to set up in business, and newly formed and existing businesses looking to grow and develop. Expert Help for specific projects to achieve business recovery or growth ambitions is also available to business through Business Gateway Fife.

For more information email: [email protected] visit: www.businessgatewayfife.com

The Supplier Development Programme (SDP)

SDP is a consortium of Scotland’s Local Authorities which aims to assist businesses in Fife to improve their performance in winning contracts with Scottish Public and Private Sector Organisations. SDP offers information, support, news, events and workshops covering procurement issues to help you unravel the tendering process.

For more information contact: [email protected]

Business Loans Scotland

BLS is a consortium of Scotland’s Local Authorities working together to provide loans from £25,000 to £250,000 to start-up and growing businesses throughout Scotland.

For more information visit: www.bls.scot contact: [email protected] or call: 01592 858333

Funding for SMEs

Delivered through Business Gateway Fife, Fife Council provides a range of repayable and non-repayable funding options for businesses in Fife who are looking to invest in and grow their business or workforce or progress towards Net Zero emissions.

For more information contact a business adviser at Business Gateway Fife on 01592 858333 or email: [email protected]

Food from Fife Network

Food from Fife is a membership organisation supported by Fife Council. It’s a way of bringing together one of the region’s most exciting and important industries with the aim of supporting it and growing the sector.

For more information visit: www.foodfromfife.co.uk/

Fife Chamber of Commerce

Supports businesses of all sizes across the region. As a local, independent, organisation with a national voice (through its affiliation to Scottish and British Chambers of Commerce), it represents the interests of members and makes their views heard in the right places at local, national, UK and European levels. It provides a range of business services and information, and organises events to bring businesses together through an extensive programme of networking meetings, business seminars and training courses.

For more information and local contact details visit: www.fifechamber.co.uk

Centre for Engineering Education and Development (CEED)

CEED is a community of businesses and academics who have joined together to pool their talents, expertise, experience and resource in the pursuit of operational excellence. Their aim is to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness – that will impact the bottom line.

For more information visit: www.ceed-scotland.com

National Manufacturing Institute Scotland

The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) is a group of industry-led manufacturing research and development facilities with a network of Partners across Scotland brought together to boost the manufacturing community. Focused on revolutionising skills, productivity, and innovation to help attract investment and make Scotland and the wider UK a global leader in advanced manufacturing.

For more information visit: www.nmis.scot

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)

FSB is the business membership organisation in Fife with over 1400 members. As well as being a powerful lobbying group representing the interests of small businesses both locally and nationally, the FSB offers an unrivalled portfolio of benefits.

For more information visit: www.fsb.org.uk

Fife Tourism Partnership

The Fife Tourism Partnership has been set up to support the tourism industry in Fife. The Board members work with businesses across Fife to develop a joined up Fife Tourism Strategy.

To register you business go to www.FifeTourismPartnership.org.

Once registered you can then sign up to promote your business on the Fife consumer site: www.welcometofife.com

Support for Social Enterprise

Fife Voluntary Action

Supports new and existing third sector organisations that operate in Fife. They work with community groups, voluntary organisations, charities, social enterprises and individuals looking to set up a new organisation.

For more information visit: www.fva.org/social_enterprise.asp

Business Development Support In Fife

Helping you grow and succeed

Offering an unbeatable quality of life

Key Sectors

Immediate land available at competitive commercial rates

Publications