HAMPSHIRE businesses will receive extra support following a signed charter agreement with the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership.

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Business Alliance (HIBA) is working to raise awareness of support services for business, acting as a bridge between the Solent LEP and the business community.

It hopes by doing so it will give local businesses a better chance to influence the area’s economic strategy.

The agreement was signed at a LEP conference, on November 28, which featured a keynote address by Lord Heseltine.

In his speech he said: “There is a clear need for a much more powerful and integrated private sector voice. The deal being done today shows there is progress being made in that direction. It’s the kind of stepping stone that will put us into a much better position.”

Jimmy Chestnutt, Hampshire Chamber Chief Executive, signed the agreement on behalf of HIBA.

He said: “This is an exciting initiative. We hope that we will as a group demonstrate that the business support community can work together to mutual advantage and for the absolute benefit of the whole business community.

“We see today as the first step towards creating a national network of similar county based alliances, and believe that by so doing we will help achieve our national objective of increasing the UK’s share of the all-important emerging export markets.”