ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) has welcomed Emma Jones as the new Small Business Commissioner (OSBC).
ACCA said it had been a constant and vocal supporter of the OSBC ever since it was established by the Enterprise Act 2016 to tackle late payment and unfavourable payment practices in the private sector.
It said that Emma had “a tough job” in dealing with ongoing and systemic late payment practices. ACCA members running businesses and advising firms know that poor payment practices continue to have a detrimental – and sometimes fatal – impact on the small and growing business sector, it added.
Yet this is a crucial sector which needs to thrive if the UK Government is going to meet its aims of securing growth in the economy with strong employment, and this won’t happen if businesses face a daily struggle to get paid, ACCA said.
The first task for the Commissioner will be the expected consultation on the prompt payment code and ensuring that small businesses benefit from the UK Government's upcoming small business strategy, said the ACCA.
Glenn Collins, head of technical and strategic engagement, said:
“We want to offer congratulations to Emma on her appointment. It is no easy task but as founder of Enterprise Nation Emma has a track record and experience that means she has an excellent chance of making a significant difference to hundreds of thousands of small businesses up and down the country.
“Both the strategy and the consultation continue the work of her predecessor, Liz Barclay, and ACCA would like to pay tribute to the impact that she has had in the role over the years.”
Lloyd Powell, head of ACCA Cymru/Wales, added:
“We’ve always been strong supporters of the OSBC and in consultation with our members will continue to work constructively with the OSBC, in particular we look forward to seeing the strategy and the consultation.”
