t the present time a lot of problems are ripe in the field of small and medium business in our city. On one hand the state demands from the businessmen to pay taxes, rent and other payments into the budget timely but on the other hand every particular businessmen does not get any real support ( information, rent, investment and etc.) from the administration. Some businessmen try to act alone to bring the problems of small and medium business to the city administration but they fail to do that as a rule. Making strategic important decisions on the problems of the small and medium business takes place practically without the representatives of this business. The "upper" levels do not hear their opinion. That is why only through consolidation of initiative and competent businessmen around the "Business Centre" with precise position and activity programme concerted with administrative bodies it is possible to gain the changes in the economical situation in the city to the better.
   What the main aspects of activities of the "Business Centre" we would like to highlight:
Many western partners are ready to cooperate with Russia, they are ready to invest mutual projects, they are ready to supply new technologies and develop production. But their experience of communication with the representatives of the city administration indicates that they are speaking the different languages in direct and figurative sense of. It is not a secret that the consideration of one or another problem in the "power corridors" can take weeks and even months and then it ends with absolute disappointment both for potential partners and investors. On the other hand the foreign partners feel justified apprehension when they try to contact with some representatives of small business being afraid for their investments. At the same time in St.Petersburg there are enough companies that manufacture goods which enjoy demand abroad and which are interested in expansion of their production.
One of our city resources is unclaimed rented space. It is known that as a result of breaking up into smaller units of the city industrial giants a large industrial areas and machine stock were set free and fall into decay. At the same time the rent payment is so high that there are no businessmen who would like to use the industrial areas for production. As a result the production is not developed, there are no new working places, products are not manufactured and the city does not get significant budgetary funds in the form of the taxes and charges. At the same time in the city there is a potential of businessmen who are ready to organize manufacturing and there are investors who are ready to provide finance of this manufacture. There seems to be all the necessary preconditions for successful acceleration and development but there is no unit in the chain, there is no direct contact of businessmen with power bodies and there is no influence of businessmen on the rent policy, on the economical situation in the city, there is no support of small business in our city. And the "Business Centre" should become this lacking unit. One of the tasks for the "Business Centre" is to make economically profitable for the city and the businessmen the use of the free areas.
Of course, the businessmen will develop their enterprises on their own but if they are able to get united and get support from the city administration then the effect of the union will much stronger if they work separately.
Another one of the important activity direction of the "Business Centre" is the information support of small and medium business. It is general known that any business is based on three main things, three "I", they are information, information and information. At the present moment the businessmen are left to their own resources in solving this problem. Including the "Business Centre" in the city information document circulation, timely information of the businessmen about city industrial policy, directions of its development and taking part of businessmen in forming of this policy would let make the economical situation better in the city. The top priority task of the "Business Centre" is the creation of information base for the enterprises-partners, registration of their potential manufacturing possibilities and generalization of information about the enterprise problems. It is important to mention that enterprises are ready to take active part in socially significant city programmes for manufacturing of goods and services which are necessary for the people of St.Petersburg in first turn.

The "Business Centre" will regulate contacts with the similar organizations in the other regions of Russia. The experience of Moscow businessmen indicates that if there is understanding and support from the city administration then there is a significant revival of the city economics.
One must be occupied with the problems of the small and medium business but not neglecting them. Only there is possible the normalization of manufacture development and increasing of inhabitant living standard where this problem is considered with proper attention and support.