Anticipated plans to be revealed

North East Access to Finance will reveal its plans for the development of new public investment funds and the North East LEP will outline its strategy to stimulate growth at a forthcoming conference.

The conference - Funding the Future - SME Finance in the North East – organised by North East Access to Finance for February 12 at Newcastle’s Life Conference and Banqueting Centre will also review the current regional landscape of SME finance.

The keynote speaker Edward Twiddy, chief executiveof the North East LEP, will give an update on the future programme for the North East LEP in 2013 and beyond.

North East Access to Finance will also launch its North East Access to Finance Guide 2013.

Following research by Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University, last year into the demand and supply sides of SME finance in the North East of England, this edition of the guide has been designed to provide a simple reference for sources of finance and support that will be kept up to date during the coming year.

Delegates to the conference will be among the first to receive a copy of the 2013 Guide. The Guide has been expanded to provide businesses with information covering not only sources of finance and business support, but advice on how to raise finance, on relevant legal and tax issues, and for the first time it covers support for social enterprises.

North East Access to Finance has recently commissioned a research study - due for completion by the summer - into current best practice in the development of SME investment funds and it will provide an insight into current best practice and the areas of study that will be explored.

Finally, all delegates will have the opportunity to participate in an open forum to discuss what the region needs from the next generation of publicly backed investment funds.

The views put forward during this session will form a part of North East Access to Finance’s regional consultation that will see new investment funds being created for the businesses of the North East.

To register a place at the conference, which begins at 2.15pm and ends at 5.30pm, email Lorraine Lockington on .