MILLIONS of pounds in support is being offered to businesses in East Lancashire in a bid to create and safeguard hundreds of jobs.

Boost Business Lancashire (Boost) is the name of the new £7.2m Lancashire Business Growth Hub, which has been developed by the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

Boost aims to grow the county’s economy by £20million, create at least 1,200 new jobs and safeguard 700 more by 2015. The service will be delivered through a partnership between Lancashire County Council, Community and Business Partners, Lancaster University, Regenerate Pennine Lancashire (Regenerate), University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) and Winning Pitch.

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) has provided £3.6m of funding.

Edwin Booth, chairman of the LEP, said: “Lancashire's ambitious and inspirational business leaders hold the key to growth in the county.

“We want to help them take control of business growth by bringing together firms with high growth potential and giving them the tools needed to realise their ambition.

“Whether a business has specific growth plans or not, the business support landscape for growing businesses is complex and quite often business owners and directors don’t know where to turn.

“We’re aiming to provide a unique service that allows decision makers to start the growth conversation, giving them simple access to world-class advice, some of it funded.

“Through the LEP, we’re adopting a private sector focus to the programme.

“Our primary target is to help ambitious, growth-hungry businesses looking to realise their potential.

“It’s an exciting project – the biggest of its kind for ambitious businesses in Lancashire – and one that will act as a catalyst for growth in the county’s economy.”

Boost will offer a range of services, some 100% funded, some part-funded, including mentoring, networking, advice and support for advanced manufacturing and engineering companies to develop new products and move into new markets through UCLan’s Innovation Clinic.

Businesses looking to sign up to the programme can visit www.boostbusinesslancashire.co.uk.