Local businesses can get free advice at a business support briefing on Wednesday.

Brentwood Borough Council is supporting the Business Planning event, by Pro-Actions on Wednesday from 9am to 12.30pm at the Town Hall, Ingrave Road, Brentwood, CM15 8AY.

This is the second of a series of business support events Brentwood Council’s Economic Development team have run with Pro-actions business improvement specialists.

The briefing will be focusing on how and why to develop a business plan.

Specifically, there will be discussions about:

• Why you need a business plan

• Who your plan is intended for

• What you need to include in your plan and why

• How often you should review and update your plan.

Brentwood Borough Council’s Chair of the Business and Town Centres Committee, Councillor David Kendall, said: "As a business owner, I know how essential planning is to help grow your business.

"But it can be tough for anyone who is running a business to find the time and resources to do this.

"At this workshop you will have all the information and tools to help you create or work on your plan."

Colin Blore, from Pro-actions, said "For businesses both large and small, business planning is a necessity if you want to achieve your goals and avoid wasting your time and money.

"However business plans are often seen as something that banks want rather than what businesses need.

"We are delighted to be working with Brentwood Borough Council to help business owners and employees understand more about the benefits of planning, and how to make this work for you.

"The briefing will prove invaluable, especially at the start of the year by offering valuable support and advice in an informative and interactive way.”

The briefing is free, but places are limited. You can register by visiting http://brentwood-biz-planning.eventbrite.co.uk