Northumberland CC has launched a unique scheme to encourage its own employees to start their own businesses. ~Alan Wann~ explains Northumberland CC is leading the way to address the challenge set by the ODPM in developing innovative initiatives to stimulate the local economy.

The council has just launched a pioneering project to encourage staff looking to start their own businesses – from the council's own offices. Like other authorities, Northumberland offers a raft of traditional means of support for new and existing businesses, such as advice and access to guidance, grants and funding. However, the county has one of the lowest business start-ups in the country, with an average start-up rate of 22 per 10,000 population, compared with 39 per 10,000 nationally. With 14,000 staff, the council is, by far, the largest employer in a geographically-large and diverse area, and is now looking among its own ranks for tomorrow's entrepreneurs. T