Local businesses are being invited to a breakfast briefing to look at Leeds City Region's Employment and Skills Strategy and their recently launched Innovation Capital Programme. There will also be an opportunity to hear more about the LCR's recently announced bid to become a Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

The event, hosted by Harrogate Borough Council and the Leeds City Region Secretariat, will take place on Tuesday 7 September at Conyngham Hall, Knaresborough. It is free to attend, though places are limited.

Harrogate Borough Council are redesigning our website. Changes will be made to the way it works, looks and feels - we want to make it more engaging, more useful and even easier for you to use.

We would therefore like to know what you want from the new site and are asking for your comments by 2 September.

A new CCTV Radiolink Co-ordinator for the district has recently been appointed to the Community Safety Team at Harrogate Borough Council.

This appointment comes on the back of recent improvements to the CCTV Radiolink scheme, a communication network that offers the business community the ability to communicate by hand-held radio directly with operators in the CCTV control room in Harrogate to rapidly summon assistance from the emergency services.

For a limited period only, Harrogate College are offering hospitality and tourism businesses help in developing a professional looking and transactional website.

This full package of web development and support, offered as part of the ITQ in Hospitality, is valued at approximately £3,000, but the cost of this offer to local businesses is only £750.

A new project has been launched to support Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in the region to work with the University of Leeds.

There are two types of award available:
· £5k Technology Tester Award - suitable for initial exploration of the potential of an idea, product or process.
· £20k Technology Challenge Award - suitable for exploring the potential of an idea, product or process in more detail or taking forward previous proof of concept work.

The application deadline is 12 noon on 27 August.

Find out how you could be winning council business at one of a series of free Meet the Buyer events taking place in Thirsk, York and Scarborough throughout September.

Run by Business Link Yorkshire in partnership with North Yorkshire County Council, each session will include workshops on Pre-Qualification Questionnaires (PQQ), the Supplier and Contract Management System (SCMS) and finding out about opportunities.

The North Yorkshire Green Business Club are inviting local businesses to a morning workshop to look at the first steps in sustainable procurement.

Taking place on Monday 6 September at Conyngham Hall, Knaresborough, the event promises to leave you with a better understanding of what sustainable procurement is and how your business can benefit. It will signpost you to the help available, provide practical guidance on how to take sustainable procurement forward within your organisation and give an insight into sustainable procurement from organisations that are implementing it themselves.

Rethink Waste is a free initiative from WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) to help manufacturers reduce waste, improve resource efficiency and save money. It is delivered in three monthly online modules.

The closing date for registration is 15 September.

Yorkshire Gold Business Club are offering businesses in the region a chance to join the business club at a discounted rate.

In August only, enjoy 20% off Premier and Standard levels of membership to the Club which helps the region's businesses and entrepreneurs recognise, negotiate, and maximise major commercial opportunities in London including the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

DSC Chartered accountants are sponsoring a free seminar, to be presented by Steve Pipe, one of the UK's most in-demand business speakers.

The seminar, taking place on Friday 10 September at the Cedar Court Hotel in Harrogate, will cover many key ingredients for ensuring business and personal prosperity.