PR agency Clarke Associates has been reappointed to spearhead a campaign promoting business support to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) across the region.

Wythall-based Clarke Associates first won the Business Development Programme (BDP) brief at the start of 2013 and, following a competitive tender, has been recommissioned to deliver the campaign until the programme finishes in June next year.

BDP is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and provides a business support pack to SMEs across the Greater Birmingham Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership area.

This is done through a financial assistance and coaching and mentoring scheme and the programme has already assisted almost 100 businesses to implement expansion plans, creating more than 390 new jobs across the LEP's area.

Clarke Associates said the awareness generated for the programme had assisted Birmingham City Council to deliver £3.4 million in grants which had been match funded to local businesses.

Deputy managing director Mark Whitehouse said: "Winning new business is always a positive but there is no greater testament to a consultancy's work than being reappointed.

"We are in a position where we have a depth of knowledge combined with a determined focus to help the programme fulfil its objectives over the remaining 15 months."

The programme is administered by Birmingham City Council on behalf of the LEP and is available to businesses in the partnership's area including Birmingham, Bromsgrove, Cannock Chase, East Staffs, Lichfield, Redditch, Solihull, Tamworth and Wyre Forest.