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Canterbury City Council and Canterbury Christ Church University have put pen to paper on an agreement to support small businesses in the district.

The "memorandum of understanding", which was signed at the university's Hall Place site on Monday 29 October, will see both organisations working together to benefit small businesses. In particular, the council and university will:

• Combine resources and funding where possible to achieve better quality events and programmes, with increased participation from businesses
• Support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the district to realise their potential
• Respond to the local training needs of SMEs by collaborating on programme development
• Organise business events to provide access to training opportunities and networking
• Promote the history, economy and people of the Canterbury district
• Identify opportunities to bid for external funding, especially via Europe, to help achieve these objectives

The council's contribution to the partnership includes sponsoring the university's Healthy Business, Growing Business initiative, supporting the university Business School's entrepreneurship programme, promoting graduate and undergraduate work placements and advertising university business events and programmes on the Canterbury4Business (C4B) website and in publications.

The university will provide speakers for business events where relevant, work with C4B to promote the Graduate and Undergraduate Work Placement Scheme and develop the Support 4 Business Mentoring Programme, and promote the services of the council's Local Economy Team to SMEs and make referrals to the business incubator units.

Council Leader Cllr John Gilbey said: "Small businesses play a vital role in the local economy and it is important they get as much support as possible. By working together, the council and university will be able to put many more opportunities for business their way, so I'm delighted this agreement has been signed."�

Canterbury Christ Church University'ss Vice Chancellor, Professor Michael Wright, said: "I am delighted to sign this memorandum of understanding, which will encourage business development, economic growth and partnership working. This demonstrates both organisations's commitment to enterprise and working with the business community in Canterbury and across Kent."�