Enterprise East Cambridgeshire to be headline partner for this year’s Business Awards organised by the Ely Standard.

This prestigious awards ceremony, which takes place on Friday October 14, 2016, will showcase and celebrate the achievements of local businesses within East Cambridgeshire, and EEC is thrilled to be playing a lead role in reviewing nominees and selecting winners in each of the award categories.

EEC is East Cambridgeshire District Council’s Economic Development team, which provides business support, information and advice to local companies, while working hard to attract important inward investment to the area. EEC is therefore a perfect partner to support this year’s event.

The team operates two business centres, one in Ely and another in Littleport, which serve as starter offices for small and growing businesses. The e-space centres provide local companies with a base from which to develop until they are able to buy or rent their own premises elsewhere in the district. In addition, advice is always on hand to e-space tenants from the EEC team based at the respective locations.

The District Council also provides ongoing support to employers looking to take on apprentices. As was the case last year, in 2016, they will be supporting selected local firms with top-up grants, which can be put towards training, equipment or apprentice salary costs.

With an extensive portfolio of expertise and contacts, and working with businesses in a multitude of sectors, EEC takes great pleasure in providing support across a variety of business areas. The team views no enquiry as too small, or project too large.

As headline partners of the Ely Standard Business Awards, EEC and the District Council hopes to further promote the important work it does to an even larger audience, spreading the message that East Cambridgeshire is a great place to do business.

Entries from companies wishing to be considered for an award must be submitted by the 21st July 2016. EEC encourages as many local businesses as possible to get involved, and is looking forward to an enjoyable evening that will highlight the bright and thriving business community within East Cambridgeshire.

For more information about the work of EEC and the support available for local businesses, including the apprenticeship scheme, please contact tel: 01353 664 007 or visit www.enterpriseeastcambs.co.uk.

Entry deadline is 5pm Thursday July 21.

To enter or to find out more visit the website: www.elybusinessawards.co.uk

See below for the full list of categories, and the criteria for entries.

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR (INCLUDING SELF EMPLOYED)

Open to any business within East Cambridgeshire, employing typically 10 people or fewer. Being a very small business is no bar to success in this category. The judges will be looking for performance against business plan and proven success in adapting to market movements.

Entry Criteria

Outline of business

Is the business profitable? Account evidence required

How has it successfully adapted to changing markets?

How does it fit into its marketplace?

What are the plans for development?

MEDIUM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

This award is open to any business operating within East Cambridgeshire employing 11-250 full time direct employees NOT including casual staff.

Entry Criteria

Outline of business – How has the business performed against budgets and plans?

Is the business profitable? Account evidence required.

How has it successfully adapted to changing markets?

How does it fit into its marketplace?

What are the plans for development?

BUSINESS PERSON

Individuals may nominate themselves or be nominated by their employers or colleagues. The judges will be looking for a business owner, manager who has made an outstanding contribution to the success or survival of the company.

Entry Criteria

Name, position and outline of responsibilities

Detail of business its activities, market-place and scale of operations

BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY

This award is designed to recognise significant achievement and major contribution to local communities without expectation or direct commercial benefit.

Entry Criteria

What have you done to promote community interests that are not of direct commercial benefit to your organisation?

What is your business doing to minimise your businesses impact on the environment?

Provide evidence to support your claims.

NEW BUSINESS

This category is open to any company of any size, including sole traders that have been set up since January 1, 2015. It does not have to be registered for VAT.

Entry Criteria

State name of business, type of business activity, number of employees (if any) and date of first trading

Provide a summary business plan to demonstrate the strength of business model, explain how the business has performed against that plan and how it has been modified to reflect changed economic circumstances.

RETAILER OF THE YEAR

The ability to sell is vital. This category will focus on sales performance, plus how the relationship between the business and the consumer is developed.

Entry Criteria

Outline of business

What distinguishes you from other retailers?

What measures are in place to promote your business?

How has your performance improved or exceeded expectations?

What were the factors that influence that performance?

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR

Staff are the most important asset of any business. This category is for businesses which demonstrate strong commitment to staff and asses how employees benefit the business.

Entry Criteria

Outline of business.

Details of staffing numbers and types of jobs people do.

What is your induction process?

What incentives or benefits do you provide for staff?

ONLINE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Open to any business who either trades online directly or uses their business website to promote and enhance their business.

Entry Criteria

Innovation / Creativity – Is this site or development/products within this site innovative?

What is the concept of this site, how is it managed, run and developed?

Internal/external development - Was the site created internally or externally, if externally how individual is the site, and how well did the two companies collaborate in its development?

Impact on Staff – Show how you have trained staff in its use and understanding, and how many staff has access.

User Friendly – What steps were taken to make sure the site was user friendly?

initiated by this site?

CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD

This category is open to any business no matter what sector. You will need to be able to demonstrate your customer service record and you are able to submit a maximum of five testimonials .

Entry Criteria

Staff training - How do you train your staff in customer care?

Testimonials – How do you collect comments/feedback? And is it visible to staff and customers?

Analysis - How do you gauge feedback including complaints and how do you go about resolving any issues?

Strategies - What strategies do you have in place to help staff deliver the best level of customer service?