Leicester & Leicestershire Business Survey 2015

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1 For further information contact: Brendan Brockway, Economic Intelligence Officer, Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership Telephone: P417 Designed and printed by Leicestershire County Council - October 15 Leicester & Leicestershire Business Survey 15

2 Key Findings General Business Conditions Skills Across the LLEP area there is a positive outlook with regard to business conditions over the next 12 months. 38% of businesses expect business conditions in the LLEP area to improve (previously 23%). There are question marks over the ability, quality and job readiness of some applicants. When employers that had recruitment difficulties were asked what these were, the main response (39%) was low number of applicants with the required skills. Foreword Contents Key Findings 3 General Business Conditions Business Optimism - Business Growth Performance Sales Turnover - Profit Performance - Staff Head Count - New Products or Services Exports 9 Leicester and Leicestershire Business Survey 15 I am delighted to present the key findings from the Leicester and Leicestershire Business Survey 15. The survey is a valuable evidence base that provides a snapshot of the Leicester and Leicestershire business landscape and is recognised as an important tool for influencing strategy. Its objectives are to provide a robust source of intelligence about the local economy; how this is performing and to act as a vehicle for consultation with the business community. Optimism has had a positive knock on effect, with a third of businesses increasing their staff headcount. businesses are particularly strong in this respect. Over % of manufacturing businesses will increase their staff headcount over the next 12 months. Nearly % of companies have started offering new products and services. businesses are particularly strong in this respect with nearly half reporting new products or services. So what can we conclude from the survey? After a sustained period of uncertainty the Leicester and Leicestershire economy is growing. Businesses aiming for steady growth (43%) and rapid growth (61%) are significantly more likely to feel that general business conditions across the country will improve. 71% of businesses are aiming for growth in the next 12 months (in Harborough 78%). Performance In the last 12 months, 55% of businesses taking part in the survey had increased their sales turnover ( 62%). In the next 12 months, 76% of businesses said that they expect their sales turnover to increase ( 85%). In the last 12 months, 54% of businesses had increased their profit (58% ). When asked about the next 12 months, 76% of businesses expected their profit to increase ( 85%). In the last 12 months, 35% of businesses had increased their staff head count ( 53%). In the last 12 months, 39% of businesses started offering new products or services ( 49%). In the next 12 months, 45% of businesses are going to start offering new products or services ( 56% and 55%). Overall, 15% of all employers report having had skills shortage vacancies in the last 12 months. This compares with just 4% in the UK Employer Skills Survey 13. There is an above average incidence in skills shortage vacancies in (43%). Training One in seven employers (14%) currently employ an apprentice ( 19% and 18%). Just 4% of all LLEP area employers currently have staff undertaking traineeships. 36% of employers offer work experience placement opportunities ( 44%). More than half (57%) of employers plan to train or upskill their staff in the next 12 months. The most frequently identified skills needs by employers were marketing and sales skills (31%) and technical or practical job specific skills (29%). % of employers had some contact with an educational establishment/ public private training provider. 7% of businesses had used Higher Education/ Universities. This increased to 32% with businesses that have. Recruitment Recruitment & Recruitment Difficulties - Planning to Recruit - Recruitment Difficulties Skills Skills Improvement - Skills Shortage Vacancies Training Apprenticeships, Traineeships and Work Experience Placements - Future Training - Educational Establishments - External Training Providers Other Business Concerns - Business Plans - Business Advice - Business Relocation Methodological Notes Method Further Notes 23 The survey provides us with key information that will help us plan for the future, understand our priorities and reinforce our commitment to understanding and satisfying the wants and needs of the local and wider business communities. Key findings from the survey tell us that the Leicester and Leicestershire economy is moving in the right direction. It is very encouraging to see that there is clear evidence of strong growth and performance over the last 12 months. More than half of the businesses that took part reported increased sales turnover and profits. This positive trend is set to continue with over three quarters of businesses anticipating increased sales turnover and profit over the next 12 months. Going forward, the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership will continue to work to create the right conditions for business growth. This in turn will allow our businesses to become established and flourish. Before I close I would just like to thank the 1, plus businesses that took part in the survey. I hope you find the survey interesting and helpful. Nick Pulley Chair of the LLEP and Regional Director at Santander Corporate Bank Note: Transport, Retail and Distribution. For a full explanation of the terms used see page 23. Recruitment 42% of employers in the LLEP area are planning to recruit in the next 12 months ( 51%). 25% of employers have experienced recruitment difficulties in the last 12 months ( 3%). Employers that have had hard to fill vacancies are most likely to report these as being for skilled trade occupations (27%) and elementary occupations (17%). Other Factors of most concern to employers are regulation and red tape, competition in the market and energy costs. Half of employers have a business plan, 29% do not have a business plan and 16% reported having a formal business plan which does not exist in written form. In the last 12 months, 36% of employers have sought external advice or information on matters affecting their business. The likelihood of doing so is higher amongst businesses that export (48%) and businesses with skills gaps (43%). 8% of employers that took part in the survey are looking to relocate ( 16%, exporters 17% and those aiming for rapid growth 17%). Expectations about finding somewhere easily are low. 2 LLEP - Business Survey LLEP - Business Survey 15 3

3 General Business Conditions Business Optimism Across the LLEP area there is generally a positive outlook with regard to business conditions over the next 12 months. Nearly two-fifths (38%) of businesses expect business conditions in the area to improve. There is a slightly higher proportion (42%) expecting conditions to remain unchanged and just a minority (9%) think conditions will deteriorate. Views by business size and sector are largely consistent, but businesses with or more employees are more likely than average to expect conditions to improve (51%). businesses are also more likely to hold this view (46%). Businesses aiming for growth, particularly those aiming for rapid growth, are significantly more likely than other businesses to feel that general business conditions across the country will improve (43% of those aiming for steady growth, 61% of those aiming for rapid growth). Employers based in the district of Hinckley & Bosworth (49%) and Leicester city (43%) are the most positive, while those in Melton (32%) and North West Leicestershire (33%) the least. Q11. How do you think that general business condition in Leicester and Leicestershire will change over the next twelve months? Figure 1: Perceptions of general business condtions Business Growth Business optimism in the Leicester and Leicestershire area is high and this is reflected in growth aspirations. When asked to describe their company s aims for growth over the next 12 months, 71% of businesses taking part in the survey said they are aiming for steady or rapid growth. This is in line with the proportion of UK SMEs that are aiming for growth in the next 2 or 3 years (73%) 1. Within the Leicester and Leicestershire area figures for local authority and district areas are in line with those above, however there is one exception. In Harborough district 78% of companies are aiming for steady or rapid growth. Business optimism differs depending on the size and type of organisation. This is demonstrated in Figures 2 and 3. Q7. Which of the following best describes your company s aims for growth over the next 12 months? All Employers (556) (365) -199 employees (79) (27) Figures 2 & 3: Aims for growth by size and sector (all employers) Grow Steadily Aims for Growth by Size Grow Rapidly & Agressively All Employers Leicester City Leicestershire Blaby Charnwood Harborough Hinckley & Bosworth Melton North West Leicestershire Expectations Regarding General Business Conditions Figure 2 shows that larger employers are more likely to be aiming to grow. A quarter of all businesses plan to remain as they are (24%). This is higher within micro businesses () (27%). Employers were asked about performance in the last 12 months and their anticipated performance over the next 12 months. This covered a range of business indicators. All Employers (31) (127) (59) Trad (41) () Aims for Growth by Sector Grow Steadily Grow Rapidly & Agressively Oadby & Wigston Don t know Deteriorate Stay the same Improve 1 Source: SBS 14, (see Section 2.2: Note on Reporting for more information) 4 LLEP - Business Survey LLEP - Business Survey 15 5

4 Performance Sales Turnover Profit Performance Q9. In the last 12 months, has your business increased sales turnover? Q1. And in the next 12 months, do you expect your business to increase sales turnover? Q9. In the last 12 months, has your business seen an increase in profits? Q1. And in the next 12 months, do you expect your business to see an increase in profits? Figure 4: Sales Turnover - Performance in the last 12 months and anticipated performance over the next 12 months Figure 5: Profits - Performance in the last 12 months and anticipated performance over the next 12 months % of Businesses employees Increased/ Increase Sales Turnover Previous Next % of Businesses employees Increased/ Increase Profits Previous Next In the last 12 months 55% of businesses taking part in the survey had increased their sales turnover. Higher sales turnover was experienced in small to medium enterprises. Micro and large businesses had around average figures. Sixty-two per cent of manufacturing businesses had increased their sales turnover. The figure for the construction industry was 49%. When asked about their sales turnover over the next 12 months, 76% of businesses said that they expected their sales turnover to increase. This increased optimism was greatest in medium and larger enterprises (85%). In the manufacturing sector 85% of businesses said that they expected increased sales turnover. In the primary sector the figure was 62%. In the last 12 months, 54% of businesses taking part in the survey had increased their profits. Higher profit was experienced in small to medium enterprises. Micro and large businesses had around average figures. Fifty-eight per cent of construction businesses had increased their profit. When asked about profit over the next 12 months, 76% of businesses said that they expected their profit to increase. Figures were largest in medium sized enterprises (86%). In the manufacturing sector 85% of businesses said that they expected increased profit. In the primary sector the figure was %. 6 LLEP - Business Survey LLEP - Business Survey 15 7

5 Staff Head Count In the last 12 months, 35% of businesses taking part in the survey had increased their staff head count. The largest concentrations of businesses reporting increases in the number of employees were medium sized (66%) and large sized businesses (68%). In the manufacturing sector 53% of businesses reported that they had increased their staff headcount. When asked about anticipated staff head count over the next 12 months, medium sized and manufacturing businesses were those two areas where significant increases were identified. Fewer small and large employers are anticipating increases in staff head count over the next 12 months than was realised for the previous 12 months. Q9. In the last 12 months, has your business increased staff head count? Q1. And in the next 12 months, do you expect your business to increase staff head count? Figure 6: Staff Headcount - Performance in the last 12 months and anticipated performance over the next 12 months Exports % of Businesses % of Businesses employees New Products or Services Increased/ Increase Staff Head Count Q9. In the last 12 months, has your business obtained new products or services? Q1. And in the next 12 months, do you expect your business to obtain new products or services? Figure 7: New Products and Services - Performance in the last 12 months and anticipated performance over the next 12 months employees Previous Next Started/ Start to Offer New Products or Services 37 Previous Next Figure 8 provides an understanding of those businesses based in the LLEP area that export. This shows that 18% of LLEP area employers export products or services. This increases to % of those businesses with +employees. The propensity to export is higher than average amongst manufacturers (45%) Q8. Does your business export products or services outside of the UK? Figure 8: Businesses that export by size and sector employees Businesses that Export Those that Export Over the last 12 months, 39% of the employers that took part in the survey started offering new products or services. In the manufacturing sector this was 49%. In the next 12 months, 45% of businesses are going to start offering new products or services. The manufacturing (56%) and (55%) industries stood out as those that will offer more new products or services. 8 LLEP - Business Survey LLEP - Business Survey 15 9

6 Recruitment % of Employees 1 1 Recruitment and Recruitment Difficulties Q: Have you recruited any staff in the last 12 months? Q21: Have you experienced any difficulties in recruiting staff? Q27: Are you planning to recruit in the next 12 months? Figure 9: Those Businesses recruiting and those that have experienced recruitment difficulties Recruitment and Recruitment Difficulties Recruited Had Difficulties Recruiting Plans to Recruit Planning to Recruit Figure 9 demonstrates that 42% of employers in the LLEP area plan to recruit in the next 12 months. The larger the business, the more likely they are to recruit. This is especially the case with medium and large businesses. Fifty-one per cent of manufacturing businesses plan to recruit in the next 12 months. Recruitment Difficulties Twenty-five per cent of all employers have experienced recruitment difficulties in the last 12 months. This was more pronounced in those medium (54%) and larger (52%) sized businesses. The proportion is higher than average in the manufacturing sector (3%). When looking at those occupations in which employers have experienced difficulties in filling vacancies, employers that have had hard to fill vacancies are most likely to report these as being for skilled trade occupations (27%) and elementary occupations (17%). Q22: What vacancies did you have difficulty recruiting to? Figure 1: Recruitment difficulties Types of vacancy -199 employees Elementary Occupations 17 Recruitment Difficulties Figure 9 shows that half of the employers in the LLEP area (%) have recruited staff in the last 12 months. The proportion of employers increases sharply amongst businesses that have 1 or more employees. Ninety-nine per cent of medium sized employers have recruited staff in the last 12 months. The figure for micro businesses was 39%. The manufacturing (51%), (52%) and other services (54%) sectors had the greatest recruitment over the period. Process, Plant and Machine Operatives Sales and Customer Service Occupations Personal Service Occupations Skilled Trade Occupations Administrative & Technical Occupations Associate Professional & Technical Occupations Professional Occupations Managers & Senior Officials LLEP - Business Survey LLEP - Business Survey 15 11

7 Skills Skills Improvement Q24. What were the main causes of these recruitment difficulties? When employers that had recruitment difficulties were asked what these were, the main responses where: Low number of applicants with the required skills (39%) Low number of applicants with the required attitude, motivation or personality (24%) Lack of work experience the company demands (22%) Not enough people interested in doing this type of job (14%) Low number of applicants generally (14%) Lack of qualifications the company demands (14%) The areas that are the main causes of difficulties in recruitment relate to skills. Whether qualifications or those personal qualities that help individuals integrate into a working environment there is question mark over the ability/ quality and job readiness of some applicants. Skills Shortage Vacancies The proportion of employers that have experienced recruitment vacancies in the last 12 months due to skills shortages varies depending on employer size and sector. Figure 11 demonstrates this. From figure 11 it can be seen that large (43%) and manufacturing employers (22%) are more likely to have experienced recruitment vacancies due to skills shortages. Fifty-one per cent of employers that had hard to fill vacancies cited having had skills shortage vacancies in the last 12 months. This compares with just 4% reported in the UK Employer Skills Survey 13. Without prompting, 51% of employers that have hard to fill vacancies cited the causes as too few applicants without the required skills, experience and qualifications. Of the 49% that did not, two-thirds (66%) when prompted reported that applicants had not been of a sufficient quality. Q26: You said that you had problems with the quality of candidates. Would you say that they have been lacking the skills in the following areas? Figure 11: Proportion of employers that have experienced any recruitment vacancies due to skills shortages 45 Employers Experiencing Recruitment Vacancies due to Skills Shortages 43% % 12% % 3% 22% 13% 13% Proportion of Employers (%) 16% 1 5 5% -199 employees 12 LLEP - Business Survey LLEP - Business Survey 15 13

8 Training Apprenticeships, Traineeships and Work Experience Placements Figure 12 on the next page provides an understanding of current opportunities that employers offer within the LLEP area. Apprenticeships Apprenticeships are a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Most of their training is done while working for an employer who helps the apprentices learn their trade or profession. One in seven employers (14%) currently employ an apprentice. This proportion increases with the size of the business with 51% of businesses that employ over employees. Higher than average figures are seen in the manufacturing (19%) and other services (18%) sectors. All respondents, regardless of whether or not they were currently providing apprenticeships were asked about the likelihood of taking on apprenticeships in the future, 32% said it is very likely or quite likely that they would do so, but a higher proportion (51%) considered it unlikely or would not. Employers with 1 or more staff are significantly more likely to provide apprenticeship opportunities in the future. Traineeships A traineeship is an unwaged education and training programme with work experience that is focused on giving young people the skills experience that employers are looking for. The other services sector is particularly high with 44% of businesses. Forty-four per cent of businesses in Blaby offer work placements. Q29: Do you currently have any staff undertaking apprenticeships at this site? Q33: Do you currently have any staff undertaking traineeships at this site? Where they were aware of traineeships Q36: Do you offer work experience placement opportunities? Figure 12: Apprenticeships, Traineeships and Work Experience Placements (%) Apprenticeships Traineeships Work Experince Placements employees em[ployees Just 4% of all LLEP area employers currently have staff undertaking traineeships at their site. This is despite 61% of all employers being aware of these. Work Experience Placements Work experience is a placement at an employer s premises in which someone carries out a particular task or duty, or a range of tasks and duties, more or less as would an employee, but with the emphasis on the learning aspects of the experience. Thirty-six per cent of LLEP area employers offer work experience placement opportunities at their site. Again the proportion of businesses offering work placements increases with the size of business. Over half (53%) of businesses that employ plus staff offer work experience. Leicester Leicestershire Blaby Charnwood 4 33 Harborough Hinckley & Bosworth Melton North West Leicestershire Oadby & Wigston LLEP - Business Survey LLEP - Business Survey 15 15

9 1 Future Training Employers were asked if they intended to train or upskill their staff in the next 12 months. More than half (57%) plan to train or upskill their staff in the next 12 months. This increases with the size of the employer, from % of micro businesses to 1% of large employers. There are no significant differences in terms of sector although construction (a trade industry) has the lowest figure (47%). Q48: Do you plan to train or upskill your staff in the next 12 months Figure 13: Employers planning to train or upskill staff in the next 12 months 57% % 77% 88% 1% 55% 56% 47% Training & Upskilling Staff 57% Undertaking Training (%) 61% Marketing and sales (12%) and technical/ practical/ job specific skills (1%) were identified as the most significant skills gaps. Employers where then asked what skill areas do they plan to train or up-skill their staff in the next 12 months. Interestingly only 13% of employers said that they plan to train/ up-skill their staff in marketing or sales skills, whereas 34% of employers said they plan to train or up-skill staff in technical or practical or job specific skills. Educational Establishments Employers taking part in the survey were asked if they had dealings with educational establishments. (see Figure 15). % of employers had some contact with these. 22% had dealt with schools. 23% had dealt with further education % had dealt with private training providers 17% had dealt with higher education institutions/ universities 12% had dealt with Job Centre Plus -199 employees Figure 14: Skills gaps and planned areas of training (%) Employers were asked what skills need improving amongst their existing employees. Overall, 66% of all employers identified at least one area in which their staff needed to improve their skills. The most frequently identified skills needs were marketing and sales skills (31%) and technical or practical or job specific skills (29%). Many of the skills gaps identified were identified by at least one-fifth of employers (as shown in blue below). Q46: What skills if any need improving amongst your existing employees? Q47: Which of these represents the most significant skills gap within your business? This could be in terms of the number of staff affected or in terms of the impact on the business overall. Q49: In what skill areas do you plan to train or up-skill your staff in the next 12 months? Need Improving Skills Gaps Future Training Marketing or Sales Skills Technical or Practical or Job Specific Skills Management and Supervisory Skills Customer Care General IT User Skills Communication Skills Team Working Skills Problem Solving Skills IT Professional Skills Basic Literacy Foreign Language Skills Basic Numeracy English Language Skills Other 2 1 None of these What is noticeable about the information contained in Figure 15 is that different business sizes tend to use different educational establishments. However, one area that is consistent is that employers will use, regardless of size, further education colleges. The size of the business will affect training/ skills needs. More employees can translate to more employees undertaking training. It also affects what training providers are used. Q39: Do you currently have dealings with Educational Establishments? Figure 15: Proportion of employers that have had dealings with educational establishments, by size -199 employees Employers Dealing with Educational Establishments Schools Further Education College Higher Education/ Universities Private Training Providers Job Centre Plus None of these LLEP - Business Survey LLEP - Business Survey 15 17

10 External Training Providers Employers that have arranged training in the last 12 months were asked about their use of public and private sector training providers. 72% had used full-time colleges, higher education institutions/ universities and/ or private training providers. 63% of employers had used a private sector training provider in the last 12 months. Only 7% of businesses had used higher education/ universities but this increased to 32% with businesses that have + staff. The use of external training providers increases with the size of the business. Q42: Have you used any of the following for any training or learning in the last 12 months? Figure 16: Proportion of employers that have used any specified external training provider to deliver training for staff in the last 12 months, by size Other Employers using Specified External Training Providers All employers Further Education College 2-9 employees 1-49 employees employees Higher Education/Universities Private Training Providers None of these Business Concerns Figure 18 (overleaf) focuses on those areas considered a concern for business. Respondents were asked to rate a number of factors in terms of the extent to which they are a concern for their business. A rating scale of 1 5 was used, where 1 was of no concern and 5 of great concern. Figure 18 demonstrates those responses that were rated as the greatest concern (ratings 4 and 5). Employers that have arranged training in the last 12 months were asked about the impact of the training on their business. Employers that have undertaken off the job training are significantly more likely than those that have only undertaken on the job training to have used any of these external training providers (81% compared to 55%). Figure 17 provides an understanding of the extent to which external training providers met the needs of businesses. To do this, employers were asked to rate providers between one (not at all well) and five (very well). The following were ranked a four or five (well, very well) by employers: Private training providers (87%) Higher education/ universities (83%) Further education colleges (68%). Q43: How well do you think the training provided met the needs of your business? Figure 17: Extent to which external training providers met the needs of businesses Private Training Providers Higher Education/Universities Further Education College 6 28 Extent Training Providers met Business Needs Don t know 1 - Not at all well Very Well 1 Based on the prompted list those factors that are of most concern to businesses are: Regulation and red tape Competition in the market Energy costs Businesses in the primary sector: Regulation and red tape (83%) Petrol and diesel costs (56%) Broadband speeds (%) In the manufacturing sector: Skills shortages/ finding staff (83%) Regulation and red tape (42%) Cash flow (41%) In the construction sector: Regulation and red tape (63%) Skills shortages/ finding staff (%) And in the sector: Competition in the market (47%) Energy costs (47%) Regulation and red tape (%) Employers across the city and county: In Melton, employers are significantly more likely to be concerned about Broadband speeds (44% rated this a four or a five) Those in Leicester City are particularly likely to be concerned about competition on the market (45%), finding new business (39%), staff retention (29%) and finding suitable premises (19%) Employers in Market Harborough are more likley than average to be concerned about skills shortages/ finding staff (39%) 18 LLEP - Business Survey LLEP - Business Survey 15 19

11 Access to Finance Q13: What factors are currently a cause of concern for your business? Figure 18: Factors currently a cause of concern for business Causes of Concern for Business 8 1 Business Advice In the last 12 months, just over a third of all LLEP area employers (36%) have sought external advice or information on matters affecting their business. The propensity to have sought advice or information externally increases to 46% of businesses with more than plus employees. sector businesses are more likely than those in other sectors to have sought external advice or information (65%). The likelihood of having done so is higher than average amongst exporters (48%) and businesses with skills gaps (43%). Broadband Speed Cash Flow Competition in your market In terms of where employers have sought external advice and information from, professional services (which includes banks, accountants and law firms) are the most frequently cited (79%). Family and friends are next (44%) and then private sector business advisors, coaches, mentors and consultants (%). Energy Costs Finding New Business Finding Suitable Premises Interest Rates Q15: In the last 12 months have you sought external advice or information on matters affecting your business? Figure : Proportion of employers that have sought external advice or information on matters affecting their business in the last 12 months Petrol and Diesel Costs Regulation & Red Tape Skills Shortages / Finding Staff Staff Retention Great Concern (5) Those Businesses Seeking External Advice and Information Businesses Seekig External Advice Business Plans Half (%) of employers have a business plan and in most cases it is reported to be up to date employees Sixteen per cent of all employers reported having an informal business plan which does not exist in written form. Twenty nine per cent of all employers do not have a business plan. The larger the business the more likely that it will have a business plan. Q14: Does your organisation have a formal written business plan? Figure 19: Business plans 9 41 All Employers Yes - Kept up to date Yes - Not kept up to date 1 32 (556) 8 62 (365) Proportion of Employers with Business Plans employees (79) 3 9 (27) Business Relocation Eight per cent of LLEP area employers are looking to relocate. The proportion is twice that in the manufacturing sector (16%). It is also significantly higher amongst exporters (17%) than non-exporters (6%) and those that are aiming for rapid growth in the next 12 months (17%), compared with the average (8%). Businesses in Leicester city are more likely than average to be looking to relocate (11%). Nearly half (48%) of all employers looking to relocate cite current premises that are too small. Other reasons are varied and each cited by fewer than ten respondents. The majority of employers looking to relocate (79%) intend to stay in the LLEP area. Expectations with regard to finding new premises easily are low. More than half the employers looking to move locally or are open to moving anywhere, do not expect to find somewhere easily (57%). LLEP - Business Survey LLEP - Business Survey 15 21

12 Figure 21: Sample Profile Methodological Notes Achieved interviews no. Unweighted sample % Weighted interviews no. Weighted sample % Standard error at 1%/9% Standard error at %/% ABDE / /- 17.6% C / /- 8.7 F / / GHI / /- 4.8 Transport Retail and Distribution JKLMNPQRS Other Services / / / / / / employees / / / / Method Telephone interviews, with an average length of about 25 minutes were conducted with 1,27 employers across the LLEP area in November, December 14 and January 15. Respondents included directors or proprietors or other senior managers with knowledge of the issues investigated. The survey focused on private sector organisations. Data reported to the establishment at which the respondent was based. This could be a headquarters or branch (depending on the outcome of the survey s random sampling process). A quota sample was designed, based on the local economy s sectors (SIC 7), its distribution of workplaces of different sizes (in terms of their employment), and local authority districts (LADS). The quotas for sector, size and LAD were interlocking. The survey data was weighted using information about the local economy from the Office for National Statistics Inter Departmental Business Register (IDBR) 2 as at March 13 (the latest available at the time of the survey). This was so the findings were fully representative of the LLEP area employees. The structure of the unweighted sample achieved by the survey and its weighted profile by sector, sector size and district are summarised in the following table. Blaby / /- 9.6 Charnwood / /- 9.7 Harborough / /- 9.6 Hinckley & / /- 9.7 Bosworth Melton / /- 9.8 North West / /- 9.7 Leicestershire Oadby & Wigston / /- 9.8 Leicester City / /- 5.6 Leicestershire / / / /- 3.1 Sector definitions are based on Standard Industrial Classification 7; a full explanation for which is available in Appendix 1 of the full research report Results from the total sample may be presumed accurate (with a 95% confidence level) within a maximum sample error of +/ The margin of error on sub-sets of the total sample increases as the unweighted number of respondents in that sub-set decreases, while the margin of error decreases the closer to 1% or zero that the statistic moves. Further Notes The summary document does not cover all of the topics covered in the Business Survey but instead concentrates on those areas that have traditionally been in the survey. For an understanding of these additional areas it is advised that the reader access the full report at For the purpose of this report to understand business size the following have been used: 2 The IDBR Consists of all UK registered business and is compiled from the following sources: HMRC traders registered for VAT purposes HMRC employers operating a PAYE scheme Incorporated businesses registered at Companies House Department for Environment, Food and Rural Afairs (Defra) Registered Farms Deapartment of Finance and Personnel, Northern Ireland (DFPN) Registered Businesses Micro = 2 9 employees Small = 1 49 emloyees Medium = 199 employees Large = 22 LLEP - Business Survey LLEP - Business Survey 15 23