Small businesses are at the heart of our community.

Here in Barnsley, I know that there are so many cafes, salons, shops and so many others that are loved across our area.

Local business owners work hard to ensure they stay open and I want to take this opportunity to thank them for working hard all year through.

This has been a difficult time for small business owners, with too many high street shops and local businesses having been forced to close between 2010 and 2024.

In 2023 alone, over 6,000 pubs and 10,000 local shops shut across the country.

This Labour government has committed to supporting small businesses across the UK, helping them to remain at the heart of communities where they belong.

I was pleased to see the Chancellor announce measures in the budget delivered to Parliament on November 26 that will have a positive impact on small businesses.

This included announcing the introduction of permanently lower business rates for thousands of retail, leisure and hospitality businesses across the country, and fully funded apprenticeships for under 25s available for small businesses to deliver.

As we approach Christmas, lots of people will be thinking about what gifts they will give to their loved ones. This is a perfect opportunity to think about shopping local, to find something unique created in our community, while supporting a small business owner.

This is the principle championed by Small Business Saturday, which takes place on the first Saturday of December every year.

The campaign highlights some of the brilliant small businesses that operate across the UK, often at the very heart of their communities. This year’s event takes place tomorrow.

Over the last few years, I have been pleased to hold my Small Business Saturday Awards, calling on people across Barnsley to let me know what their favourite small business is and why to nominate them for an award.

Previous winners include local cafes, tearooms, and boutiques.

I will be announcing the winners of this year’s competition throughout December, based on the nominations that my office has received from people across Barnsley South.

Barnsley Council have also introduced a number of measures to support businesses in the local area, including Enterprising Barnsley which can help businesses in the area to thrive.

They have also announced the Barnsley Inclusive Economic Growth Strategy, running from 2025 to 2030, which is a vision for growth in the area.

Paired with the impressive new regeneration of the town centre, these are brilliant steps taken by our Labour council to support people who choose to grow their business in Barnsley.

Thank you to everyone who has nominated a small business for this year’s awards, and thank you to all the small businesses who operate across Barnsley South.

Your work remains at the heart of our community.