All about Perthshire Business

The G8 tender was the begining, now it's out in the open it's called Perthshire Business

The first rule of Perthshire Business is - you do not talk about Perthshire Business.

The second rule of Perthshire Business is - you DO NOT talk about Perthshire Business.



Perthshire Business was created from a discovery during the G8 magazine tender process in January 2005. Perth and Kinross council had taken the unusual step of changing a tender deadline to allow Connect Communications to submit a tender proposal that should have been disallowed under the councils own tender practise. Connect Communications were then  awarded the tender. The Freedom of Information act then revealed the council had previously only offered opportunities to tender to companies outwit h the  area. Perthshire Chamber of Commerce were previously aware of the problem and refused to act in defence of member companies.

The original aim of Perthshire Business was the production of a large scale Internet portal promoting all business in Perth and Kinross.  From the G8 tender onwards the situation changed. Repeatedly the council announce the skills and expertise to promote Perth and Kinross were not available locally. Translated that's a slur on every business in Perth and Kinross. Perthshire is home to a host of outstanding companies that continue to trade in adverse conditions without the support of the local authority or the Perthshire Chamber. Perthshire's most successful companies regularly trade outside the area on a national level. If they are good enough to trade on a national level, why not locally?

What does the lack of support for local business mean in real terms. Earnings are below the national average. Students are unable to find employment in the area and move away. Those that are unable to move face a daily commute to Scotland's main cities for employment. There's an over provision of retail and office space in the central area of Perth.

Perth and Kinross councils strategy for economic development includes promoting the Perthshire Brand, building a big garden and a new hotel. There's no cohesive strategy for growth in the local business sector. Their market research shows the council are aware of the problems local businesses face, yet they are unable or unwilling to find a solution to an ongoing problem.

In the meantime Perthshire Business will continue to build the largest Internet portal in Perth and Kinross.