Halton Borough Council is committed to encouraging innovation and supporting existing companies that want to grow.

A well considered and constructed business plan can help you safeguard your own investment, focus your efforts, ease external financing problems and provide you with a yardstick against which to measure your progress.

For more information go to Advice for business 

	Business grants The Council is committed to encouraging innovation and supporting existing companies that want to grow, as well as helping those planning to move to the area.
	Business planning Business planning is an essential component of any successful business but it is often overlooked due to pressures of day to day work.
	Business security grants As part of its continued work to improve security for local businesses, the Council has obtained funds for a new security grant.
	Environment Connect Halton has been selected as one of three pilot areas in the North West to use a new, free service that aims to support local businesses to gain commercial success through environmental good practice.
	Credit unions A Credit Union is a profit sharing, democratically run financial co-operative which offers convenient savings and low interest loans to its members.
	Co-operative development The traditional approach when starting a business has been to 'go it alone'. An alternative is 'to go it together' and start a co-operative.
	Non-Domestic Rates National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR), or Business Rates, collected by local authorities are the way that those who occupy non-domestic property contribute towards the cost of local services.
	Health & Safety The aim of the Health & Safety Team is to ensure that the health, safety and welfare of the people who work in Halton and those who visit places of employment is protected.
	Economic Intelligence Economic regeneration, through increasing employment, encouraging business growth and investment, as well as tackling economic disadvantage generally is an important activity for this Council and its partners.
	Media and Publicity Protocols In 2001, the national Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity was amended to include changes in council constitutions.