South-east firms expect improvement in sales for 2012 despite job losses

HALF of businesses in the south-east expect an improvement in sales next year despite a recent raft of major job blows.

The findings of the latest South East Business Con-fidence Study show that although more businesses recorded a fall than an increase in customer activity in the past six months, just 17% expect a further decline in 2012.

However, businesses rem-ain unhappy with the “value for money” they get for paying commercial rates to local authorities and with the Government’s performance on banking and the public finances.