THE Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has joined the Northern Business Forum in a move that will strengthen its role in helping shape the future of the region's economy.

Welcoming the announcement, forum chairman Alistair Arkley said the move would ensure the views and concerns of companies and individuals vital to creating an entrepreneurial culture in the region would be represented.

The FSB will join other leading organisations - including the Confederation of British Industry, the North East Chamber of Commerce, the Engineering Employers' Federation and the Institute of Directors - in working with the forum to ensure the collective voice of business was heard in shaping future economic policies.

Mr Arkley said: "I believe that the body which speaks on behalf of small businesses must be one of the cornerstones in ensuring that with the forum we have an organisation which will be able to use the collective strength of its members to influence the creation and the delivery of economic policy within the region and indeed nationally.

"At the heart of both regional and national policy is the need to create many more entrepreneurs and home- grown business success stories and the contribution of the FSB will be invaluable in ensuring that the forum effectively reflects small businesses."

John Wright, North-East regional policy chairman and national vice-chairman of the FSB, said: "There are huge challenges in delivering the economic renaissance of our region and one of those is creating a much more diversified business base in which small businesses must play a crucial role. I believe that is an area in which the knowledge of the FSB and our members will be very valuable for the forum."