Throughout the past year the Council has continued to support and encourage the spirit of entrepreneurship in the Borough, working with its enterprise partners to deliver a number of targeted small business initiatives.

The highly successful Business Start Programme managed by Lisburn Enterprise Organisation, offering training, mentoring and financial assistance, has this year assisted 60 new businesses to start up with the creation of 70 new jobs.A new Business Start Programme will be launched in the Autumn of 2001 and promises to deliver even more benefits for Lisburn's small business sector.

In anticipation of the launch of this new programme, an exciting Boroughwide Enterprise Awareness initiative will be jointly delivered by Lisburn Enterprise Organisation and Glenwood Business Centre throughout 2001. This programme will truly 'access all areas' ensuring that would-be entrepreneurs, including those in rural areas, women and young people will have the opportunity to access bespoke assistance to equip them with the skills, knowledge and confidence to run their own business. This pioneering programme will lend itself to maintaining Lisburn's premier position both in terms of new business creation and survival.

Demonstrating the high level of demand for commercial workspace within the Borough, two capital projects jointly funded by Lisburn City Council were realised. Lisburn Enterprise Organisation received funding towards the new build cost of their Phase III development comprising 20 000 sq ft of units which facilitated 4 local businesses and sustained 23 jobs. Glenwood Business Centre's Capital Expansion Project saw the refurbishment of 3000 sq ft of existing units for specialist food preparation to accommodate 2 new companies and create 4 new jobs.

The Council's North American Trade Programme and International Company Development Programme, managed by International Business Initiatives Ltd, has yet again resulted in the establishment of new joint ventures for export. This highly successful project in which 6 local companies participated has already assisted in securing a total of £130 000 in orders to the US market for companies such as Rocklyn Engineering, Smiley Monroe and International Net & Twine Ltd.. The businesses concerned are confident that this will result in further orders worth an estimated £550 000 over the next 2 years.

Nine Lisburn companies have recently proven that they have what it takes to build a sustainable and competitive business through continuous quality improvement. Over the past twelve months each has been working to develop their business to a level of quality and performance which will enable them to compete favourably in international markets and avail of opportunities for growth. The unique Pathways to Excellence programme, a first of its kind for Northern Ireland, was managed by Hillsborough Consultancy and the Northern Ireland Quality centre on behalf of the Council. The programme enable these companies to undertake customised training, mentoring and bench marking of performance. Based on the widely recognised Business Excellence model, each company is well on their way towards achieving accredited European recognition for excellence in business results.

Two local community enterprises established with the aim of combining financial success with job creation, training and the provision of local services, continue to flourish. Footprints Catering Ltd. has been providing catering services to Lisburn Institute at Glenwood campus for over two years and such is the success of the initiative that it now employs seven members of staff, has recently established a canteen facility at Footprint's Women's centre and is seeking to further diversify by continuing to enhance and develop the outside catering element of the business. More recently the Council has supported Hillsborough New Horizons Ltd., who have set up a community business in Hillsborough Castle, to grow and sell a range of organic vegetables which will sustain four new jobs and provide further training and employment opportunities for unemployed and disabled persons within the Borough.

The Colin Valley 2001 project has recently completed Phase I of an ambitious project to provide new facilities at the Colin Valley Golf Complex. To date the initiative has created 19 new jobs in the Colin area with the potential to sustain further employment in the coming year.

The Council's online Trade Directory continues to be an invaluable source of information on the business sector within the Borough, with the Commercial Land & Property Register remaining unique in offering the only commercial property service of its kind in Northern Ireland