Over the last five years - the time that I have been active in the FSB -my belief that most people are motivated by good intentions has not abated. But I have been startled by how often, between the germ of an idea and its implementation, the law of unintended or unimagined consequences kicks in and the amount of damage that it can do.

The FSB's Local Election Manifesto is full of examples of this. Some arise because bits of government don't talk to each other. For example, the police encourage businesses to do more to prevent crime but then planning regulations prevent the installation of appropriate measures like shutters and CCTV. A business improves the security of its premises and then finds its rateable value increased and so ends up paying twice for its prudent actions.

Some arise because of conflicting agendas. As I've mentioned before in this column local authorities are encouraged on the one hand to place contracts with small local businesses but on the other hand rewarded for aggregating contracts so they're only accessible to the very biggest businesses!

Other situations arise, I feel, through people not finding out what communities really want. An Aylesbury resident phoned me recently to talk about charity shops; he respected their fund raising intentions but deplored the depressing effect that they are having on the town. Yet local authorities often encourage them because they believe it's better to have premises occupied than unoccupied!

Over-zealous enforcement has a direct impact on all businesses and communities. There was a great example of that in the letters column of this very paper. A mother using Aqua Vale for the first time was fined £25 for being eight minutes late returning to her car as a consequence of long queues at the facility. Her reaction? She'll now take her family to Bletchley and by writing to the newspaper she'll make many more community members think twice about where they spend their leisure pounds.

So you might ask, is the FSB prepared to do anything about it here in Aylesbury? Yes, it is. Let me tell you about two initiatives that it's progressing right now.

Bucks County Council has invited the FSB to work with them on a major tender for local work to make sure as much as possible is done to promote it to, and involve, local businesses in the supply chain. We at the FSB are delighted to have this opportunity; watch this space for updates on our progress.

Secondly, my colleagues and I have had some very interesting meetings with the principal and senior management at Aylesbury College. They want to get more closely connected with the small business community. And they don't just want to tick boxes - they want to get the community's views and deliver training opportunities where the content and delivery match their needs. We will lend our support to making this whole exercise 'outcome focused' - so that the well-intentioned idea turns into equally well-intentioned delivery.

The FSB is passionate about creating a climate in which small businesses can flourish and that means creating in Aylesbury Vale a sustainable community rich in businesses and job opportunities, training and support to develop a highly skilled workforce and quality housing for everyone. So is government. So my appeal to everyone is that we all do everything we can to make sure the law of unintended consequences doesn't foil all our plans.