Millions in grants handed to Walsall businesses
More than £35 million in emergency grant aid has been handed out to Walsall businesses struggling in the coronavirus lockdown.
Walsall Council said more than 3,500 companies from across the borough had accessed the grant funding made available by the Government to try to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on business.
Councillor Adrian Andrew, deputy leader of the authority, said a stable economy was vital for when the town looks to pick itself back up once the crisis is over.
He said that, out of 4,185 grant claims, 3,628 had been processed and officers were continuing to chase up other businesses to help them with their grant applications.
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Councillor Andrew said: "We need to look after the economy and make sure it is there and stable for when we come out of this particular situation.
"We may have had some criticism for the speed in which Walsall Council set up the grant system but I have to say we set it up well and properly.
"I can tell you that we as an authority has paid out £36.9 million to local businesses. That puts us above Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Dudley and Birmingham in terms of percentage paid. We are on 64 per cent of monies paid out.
"There are going to be new top-up discretionary payments and we are now communicating with business across the borough in order to facilitate.
"It was vital that the Government supported businesses because we need a strong economy coming out of this for people to go back to jobs, back to work when we all can.”
Authority leader Mike Bird added: "The department that have dealt with these grants have done so without fear or favour. They’ve done an exceptional job.
"Businesses have gone on social media saying how well Walsall has done."
