Part of £20m fund to boost district's skills

Part of a £20 million Government fund to boost manufacturing in former coalfield areas is to come to Cannock Chase.

Cannock Chase Council's leader for access to skills, Councillor Danny Davies, is to meet Enterprises ventures administering the new Coalfields Growth Fund on October 21.

Councillor Davies said the fund would offer help to existing manufacturing businesses that were struggling due to the recession and new firms. "We don't know yet how much of the £20m will be allocated to Cannock Chase."

"We want to hear from local small businesses that need advice or funding to help them survive. The aim is to protect jobs and help firms grow."

Housing Minister John Healey announced the help for areas hit by the decline of the coal industry.

Mr Healey has also confirmed that the lifetime of the £10m Coalfields Enterprise Fund would be extended to 2014, so communities will have five more years in which to invest this Government money in supporting local employers through the downturn.

Up to 400 jobs have been created and protected over the past five years through investment from this fund.

The Coalfields Growth Fund is also expected to generate further investment from private companies totalling as much as £75m over the next five years, and help create and protect hundreds of jobs in former coalfield areas.

These measures are in addition to the National Coalfields Programme, which has invested £414m in providing 2,700 new homes and 19,000 jobs over the past 12 years. Recent projects included the £9.4m regeneration of Hednesford Brick- works which has created 335 new homes and over 15,000 sq metres of business accommodation which may create or safeguard 320 jobs when occupied.