Reports that the Business Link support service is about to be shut down have been described as “premature”.
Business and enterprise minister Mark Prisk has been quoted as saying the service is to be terminated.
He told a news website: “We’re going to wind down the Regional Development Agencies, and as part of those, we’ll be winding down the regional Business Link contracts.”
However, a source at the Northwest Development Agency, which funds North West Business Link to the tune of £18m every year, told LDP Business: “This is premature. A report is being done into Business Link over the next four weeks and as far as we are aware no decision has yet been made.”
Business Link operates out of its regional headquarters in Preston and employs hundreds of people across the North West.
The NWDA itself has been told it is losing 18% of its budget which equates to £52m.
The agency will now be forced to review a number of projects that had already been agreed.
