Start with London Councils, the best known English borough councils

Doing business in the financial capital of Britain, one of the world's leading economic centers, means dealing with the City of London Council and the 32 English borough councils-12 inner and 20 outer-that represent the local governments of the greater London metropolitan area.

I recommend: Find contact information at London Councils for all 33 London councils. Visit the international business and finance pages of the Council of the City of London for inside information on London's financial core. Check out the business incentives offered by outer London boroughs like Bexley, home of the Thames Innovation Center, a technology incubator.

Get assistance from English district councils in leading industrial centers

District councils in England are your first point of contact when doing business. That's especially true in leading industrial centers, where English district, borough and county councils are leading the transition from older manufacturing bases to new technological industries.

I recommend: Manchester is England's fastest growing business center outside of London. Visit the Manchester City Council for information on doing business in the "economic powerhouse of the northwest." For insight into how one English council is cultivating the creative industries, including arts, publishing and media, contact the Birmingham City Council.

Focus on English county councils and English borough councils in a specific region

English councils promote regional strengths and resources when it comes to inviting investment and business development. One example is the English Lake District.

I recommend: In the Lake District, you'll find an English county council like the Cumbria County Council a rich source of information about doing business in the area that draws millions of tourists and is home to one of England's most advanced nuclear research facilities. Contact with an English borough council like that of Barrow-in-Furness, a gateway city to the English Lake District and an industrial center on the upswing, can be your passport to doing business in the area.

Use borough councils in England as your entree to business and investment

You'll find English district, borough and county councils throughout the country full of creative development initiatives and incentives for business and industrial investment.

I recommend: The Cheltenham Borough Council in Gloucestershire offers a trained worked force. The Salisbury District Council is a participant in the South Wiltshire Economic Partnership (SWEP), a public/private sector partnership aimed at promoting investment in sustainable economic development. In the north, the English district council of the East Riding of Yorkshire offers support for doing business in an area ideally positioned for trade with northern Europe, Scandinavia and the Baltic states. The East Cambridgeshire District Council represents Ely, England's fastest-growing city.