Hundreds of small businesses impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic have received vital financial support from Warwick District Council

Now the council wants to help hundreds more businesses during these tough times
By Philip Hibble
Published 18th Sep 2020, 16:58 BST
Updated 18th Sep 2020, 17:07 BST
Around 360 of the district’s small businesses impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic have received vital financial support.Around 360 of the district’s small businesses impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic have received vital financial support.
Around 360 of the district’s small businesses impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic have received vital financial support.

Around 360 of the district’s small businesses impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic have received vital financial support.

This has come through Warwick District Council’s (WDC's) discretionary business grant scheme.

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The scheme, which was initially launched by the council in June and has since had three rounds of applications, has allocated more than £1.7 million to a range of businesses including sole traders and the self-employed who weren’t eligible for other central government programmes.

A spokesperson for WDC said: "Having answered the government’s call to design and implement a ‘discretionary’ scheme at local level, the council set about the complex process of formulating and administering a programme which could benefit as many local enterprises as possible."

Cllr Richard Hales, Warwick District Council’s portfolio holder for business finance, said: “Given the tight timescales and the huge challenges faced by the council to develop a scheme with a robust and fair application process and measures in place to mitigate against potential fraud, I am very pleased that our team has more than risen to this challenge.

"Not only have we provided a lifeline for a large number and variety of local businesses who were vulnerable and struggling to survive, but we have also modified the process and criteria allowing us to extend our support even further. I would like to pay tribute to the Enterprise hub and all other staff involved.”

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The council has received many messages of thanks from recipients.

A total of 366 businesses have already been supported by the scheme each receiving a grant ranging from £3,000 to £10,000.

Following the completion of these payments WDC will be allocating additional grants to a further 258 eligible businesses.

An additional £1,000 will be sent to all organisations that received the lowest tier grant of £3,000, to ensure that the full government allocation is awarded.