LEDCOM

LEDCOM support makes all the difference

The business issue

Larne Enterprise Development Company Ltd (LEDCOM) is the Local Enterprise Agency (LEA) for Larne Borough.  Operating as a social enterprise, it is a leading provider of managed business workspace and incubation facilities at two sites in Larne. Its key role is to address and support economic growth and development in the region and to build social capital in Larne and East Antrim.

What LEDCOM did

LEDCOM specialises in economic development and community regeneration and manages local economic development for Larne Borough Council on an outsourced basis. It has helped to leverage over £5 million of investment in economic development initiatives in Larne in partnership with LBC.

Since 1985, LEDCOM has provided over 6,000 mentoring and advice sessions for over c.5,000 people, supporting the start-up of over 800 new enterprises including 80 social enterprises.  LEDCOM is one of the most effective support organisations for social entrepreneurship in NI and currently manages the Social Entrepreneurship Programme on behalf of Invest NI and Enterprise NI.

With a strong focus on excellence and its people, LEDCOM invests 10% of staff time in people development and skills acquisition activities to ensure quality of service to clients.  Given its expertise, its services and support have been extended to assist with overseas development.  In partnership with Enterprise NI and NICO, LEDCOM  worked with the Basra Development Commission, Iraq to help develop business support services in Basra and along with other LEAs, secured business consultancy work in Turkey to assist with the development of Turkish Business Centres.

Impact

  • In 2008/2009 LEDCOM staff and voluntary directors spent 142 days supporting business and social economy organisations and individuals, which equated to £40k of pro bono consultancy/advisory services provided to the Larne and Northern Ireland communities
  • 413 business advice/mentoring sessions were provided through business service programmes such as Invest NI’s Enterprise Development Programme
  • 48 new business starts received business planning and were offered financial assistance to set up in the Larne Borough
  • One client – Electrical Machine Services Ltd (EMS) received extensive support and mentoring from LEDCOM along with business incubation space at Willowbank Business Park. EMS has now won three international contracts and was the 2009 Larne Borough Business Growth Award winner
LEDCOM - Supporting Economic Growth Award 2010

Henry Fletcher, David Gillespie, Susan Kinane , Arthur Henderson (Chairman LEDCOM), John Heaslip, Audrey Murray

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