Telford & Wrekin Council ranks among top local authorities for supporting businesses
Government data published this week shows Telford & Wrekin Council ranks in top 15 local authorities nationally for the percentage of business grants paid out to borough businesses to support them during coronavirus pandemic.
To date, the Council has approved over 2,000 applications totalling more than £23m for business support grants, from small businesses and businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors.
By Monday 20 April, Telford & Wrekin Council has awarded and paid 82% of the grant applications it can receive from borough businesses – the 13th highest percentage figure nationally and the highest figure in the region.
The Council has been able to approve this high number of business grant applications after the Council’s Revenue’s team have worked extremely hard since receiving the funding from the Government at the start of April.
The team are continuing to process applications as quickly as possible, so borough businesses can get this much needed support during the coronavirus pandemic.
It comes after the Government announced at the end of March a series of business grants available and the Council has been supporting and assisting eligible businesses to apply for them.
This is in addition to a number of other support measures available for borough businesses, including the deferral of payment of business rates, all of which can be found on the Council’s Coronavirus webpage.
In total, the Council expects that around 2,400 businesses could be eligible to apply for these grants and any business that thinks that they meet the Government’s strict criteria and has yet to apply can do so online at www.telford.gov.uk/businessgrants
Council Leader Shaun Davies said: “Being in the top 15 English councils for the highest percentage of business grants approved is really something to be proud of and an acknowledgement of our teams’ hard work to support businesses during this challenging time.
“I’ve also written to Chancellor of the Exchequer to highlight our efforts of processing grant applications to get payments to businesses as quickly as possible but also to flag our concerns and ask for support, as some businesses are unable to access the support they need through the Government’s existing business interventions.
“We encourage all businesses to keep up-to-date with a range of local measures to support them as well as with the government measures, at www.telford.gov.uk/coronavirus”
The Government’s published data on local authority grant payments ranking can be viewed on https://www.gov.uk/government/news/grant-funding-provided-to-businesses-by-local-authorities-in-england
The data is also available on the Council’s website which shows how the Council data has been calculated.
Details about the Government grants available
Small Businesses – a grant of £10,000
• Business properties with a rateable value below £15,000 which are currently in receipt of small business rate relief or rural rate relief
Retail, Hospitality and Leisure businesses – a Grant of either £10,000 or £25,000.
Guidance issued on 30.03.20 has extended this grant to charities.
Properties with a rateable value below £51,000 in the retail, hospitality and leisure sector are entitled to claim a grant as follows:
• Properties with a rateable value below £15,000 are entitled to a grant of £10,000
• Properties with a rateable value over £15,000 but below £51,000 are entitled to a grant of £25,000
There are certain exclusions to the grant:
• Properties occupied for personal use such as private stables or moorings
• Car parks and parking spaces
• Businesses in liquidation or dissolved as at 11th March 2020
• Properties with a rateable value over £51,000
