The West Midlands Business Council (WMBC) has put together a number of suggestions to improve the support services for firms in response to the Government's consultation into the future of business support.

They include developing further specialist support and advice for firms in different business sectors and introducing business relationship managers to ensure continuity.

A WMBC spokesman said:

"Publicly funded business support programmes should focus on helping with the development of smaller businesses.

“However, a plethora of Government schemes has led to firms needing to follow a paper chase of grants instead of where the real action should be - the chase to successful growth."