A Business Network for Kennington – tell us your views

Friday 21^st August 2009

Dear Colleague

A Business Network for Kennington – tell us your views

The Kennington Association would like to invite you to attend a meeting at the offices of Rolfe Judd Ltd, Old Church Court, Claylands Road, The Oval, SW8 1NZ at 5:30pm on Tuesday 15^th September to discuss the formation of a business network for the Kennington area.

The desire and need to establish a network has come from your fellow local business people who have approached us for support in its early stages. They believe there are many benefits to forming a network and have asked us to give you this opportunity to tell us your views on the matter.

We are pleased to say that Lambeth Council has committed to supporting a network should the business community want to proceed. Councillor John Kazantzis, Cabinet Member for Employment and Enterprise, and Councillor Sally Prentice, Cabinet Member for Environment, as well as officers from the council will attend this meeting to hear your views and respond to questions.

Other town centres in Lambeth are considering similar networks; indeed some are several stages ahead and are already discovering the benefits of being part of a business network. We hope to be able to hear on the night from business people from other areas to share their experience and ideas.

Representatives from these enthusiastic local businesses met previously and agreed to explore setting up a network: Lambeth Walk Post Office, Amici Restaurants, Manning Photographers, Belgrave Hotel, Winkworth Estate Agents, Indigo Public Affairs, South London Pacific, Lobster Pot Restaurant, Kennington Tandoori and Rolfe Judd Architects.

They discussed many pressing issues that they felt could be considered by a network, including:

Parking

Streetcare

Recycling

Supplying the council
Joint bidding for contracts

Networking

Local trading

Financial support and advice

We hope to discuss all these issues and more at this meeting. If you want to contribute to the discussion, let us know that you can attend by phoning 020 7793 0268 or email KenningtonAssociation@gmail.com.

If, for whatever reason, you do not want to be kept informed of future developments regarding the Kennington Business Network please contact Cathy Preece, Administrative Assistant, as above to be removed from the Kennington Business Network mailing list.

We very much hope to see you and your fellow entrepreneurs on 15^th September.

Yours faithfully

Anna Tapsell Kevin Rimmington

Chairperson Deputy Chairperson

AGENDA

Welcome and Introduction (Anna Tapsell, Chair of Kennington Association)

Why a network is needed and what we can all gain from it (Oladapo Habeeb, KA Committee member – KBN liaison)

Being Open for Business – the council's perspective (Cllr John Kazantzis and Cllr Sally Prentice)

Comments and views from the audience

Informal networking (and vote from the floor to continue a network?)