Swindon gets £200k to help fight back from recession (From Swindon Advertiser)
Get involved! Send photos, video, news & views. Text SWINDON NEWS to 80360 or email us
Email us your story, call 01793 501806 or text 80360, starting your message with 'SWINDON
NEWS'
Swindon gets £200k to help fight back from recession
12:00pm Monday 15th March 2010 in
SWINDON Council has been awarded almost £200,000 to help businesses in the town recover from the recession.
Communities Secretary John Denham yesterday gave the local authority £192,000 to support small and new companies in hard hit areas and lessen the impact of the downturn for struggling families and firms.
It is hoped that by giving small and medium-sized businesses extra support to get through the tougher times they will be better placed when economic growth picks up.
Officials from the Department for Communities and Local Government said such support might include business and renovation grants, extra bus services to offices, apprentice schemes, free parking or office space.
The cash formed part of £50m announced under the local authority business growth incentives scheme to help councils that “successfully promote local growth” make further progress towards economic recovery in their area.
Ministers said the support came on top of the free business health checks, discounted rate bills for small businesses, tax payment deferrals and help with bank loans.
Mr Denham said: “Building economic recovery is the Government’s top priority and we firmly believe in the decisive leadership role councils have to play. Strong, vibrant, decisive local government is an essential part of our plans to promote growth and cut unemployment while rebuilding the public finances.
“We put the public sector in the lead while the private sector was struggling, spending and investing to lessen the impact on individuals, businesses and communities. We are giving councils up and down the country a further £50m to support small and new businesses in hard hit areas that might need a little jump start to get up and running again.”
He added: “Local councils, and councillors, with their unique democratic mandate, are best placed to make to provide financial support and local services that are responsive to the pressures being felt by families and businesses in local areas.”
Comments(15)
Synergie
says...
1:38pm Mon 15 Mar 10
cshepherd
says...
1:39pm Mon 15 Mar 10
real -life
says...
2:17pm Mon 15 Mar 10
Thats how a local authority works and why they never have any money. By the time they have consulted everyone (except those who coud really help of course) and had endless meetings and ticked hundreds of boxes and written thousands of feasability studies the money is all gone and 10 years have gone by!
Thats why SBC has no money despite not having developed anything worthwhile. You wouldnt believe the endless meetings and "focus groups" they have for the simplest things. They estimate managers spend about 60% of their time in meetings and about 59% of it not actually making any decisions other than when the next meeting is and who else they can consult.
Surely if they are paid to make the decision they should just get on with it and then live or die by the decision and not waste time asking all and sundry what to do!
Lets hope all this money reaches businessess who really need it to help them out of this mess, but I dont expect so!
snoopers
says...
4:14pm Mon 15 Mar 10
woolster0
says...
5:34pm Mon 15 Mar 10
molly60
says...
6:32pm Mon 15 Mar 10
I Too
says...
8:21pm Mon 15 Mar 10
Anyone kept the receipt?
itsamess
says...
9:12pm Mon 15 Mar 10
kimq
says...
9:22pm Mon 15 Mar 10
mickdp
says...
9:44pm Mon 15 Mar 10
on. Please dont lose half it on a consultation commitee. Or put in in
a pot never to be seen again.
Could repair the pot holes around
Swindon. No more over priced
paving slabs please
Pseudo
says...
7:51am Tue 16 Mar 10
politicrat
says...
9:14am Tue 16 Mar 10
How much did Fred the schredd got? and how much some the MPs and Lords getting for just standing down in disgrace?
This is bribery of the most vile sort
SHAME ON YOU LABOUR
trustnopolitician
says...
11:31am Tue 16 Mar 10
No councillor should be allowed anywhere near this decision.
Lets have some constructive ideas today on this site.
How about purchasing some services and supplies from Swindon Businesses.
Best idea might be for Council to spend the cash on a list of the things they have c****d up in the last year.
Might not be quite enough funds from this source though.
politicrat
says...
2:35pm Tue 16 Mar 10
trustnopolitician wrote:How about allocating the funds on merit?
Let the people decide! No councillor should be allowed anywhere near this decision. Lets have some constructive ideas today on this site. How about purchasing some services and supplies from Swindon Businesses. Best idea might be for Council to spend the cash on a list of the things they have c****d up in the last year. Might not be quite enough funds from this source though.
1-Bursaries for the brightest students
2-0% Loans for best business startups
What is it with this country subsiding the weak, lazy and incompetent when we have a sea of talents that are the right long term investment for this country.
If you dont want or cant work, get your backside down the soupkitchen and go live in a work house
END OF BENEFITS NOW!
More News stories
- Teenager strikes gold for Olympics
- Railway Village gets spruced up
- Have say on new parking
- Star chips in with golfing challenge for hospice
- Families facing a tax credit bombshell
- Excellence award gives nursery a real buzz
- Crafty love bugs appear in park after Valentine’s event
- Pilot DIY housing scheme on the cards
- Win a chance to go clubbing with TOWIE heartthrob
- Residents resist 700-homes plan
Most popular
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
Bobfm says...
1:00pm Mon 15 Mar 10