The head of Business Link has revealed it has helped thousands of firms since its revamp last year.
Chairman Alex Pratt said about 7,000 firms had been assisted in the area it covers, which includes Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
The change saw Business Link become more pro-active in helping small and start-up firms receive advice on a range of issues from legal matters to how to access funding.
He said: "We have helped nearly 12 per cent of the 60,000 businesses in this area.
"We were also very quick off the mark in making sure that local rural businesses benefited early from the £230,000-plus made available by Government to help businesses recover after foot and mouth."
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