Financial and digital support offered for struggling Wolverhampton businesses
Council bosses in Wolverhampton have announced a new programme of support for struggling micro and small businesses in the city as it prepares to enter Tier 3 restrictions.
The ‘Relight Business Programme’ has been designed to help up to 200 firms by giving them professional financial and digital advice worth £750.
It is being run in conjunction with the Black Country Chamber of Commerce (BCCC) and Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), and firms will be able to apply online from Monday.
Councillor Stephen Simkins, Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for city economy, said: “We want to attract as many small firms as possible to sign up to this – especially now that we have been banded in Tier 3, meaning a lot of places won’t be allowed to open.
“This is a one-stop shop online where businesses can register for everything, including membership to the BCCC and FSB, and get all the professional help they need.
“However, resources are really tight and we are struggling for them. We need to be having conversations with the Government about helping out.
“Our ‘Wolves at Work’ business programme is a fantastic scheme that provides a dedicated workforce recruitment service that helps people into work. We could do with some more funding for that.
“We are facing more redundancies in this country now as well, so these are incredibly difficult times for our small businesses. The last thing we want to be doing is sending money back to the Government.
“As a council we are constantly looking at new ways in which we can support them and help them bounce back from the Covid crisis.”
Wolverhampton Council leader Councillor Ian Brookfield added: “With the prospect of a vaccine on the horizon, we’re seeing a much welcome glimmer of hope for a brighter future.
“But I can’t stress enough that we’re some way off being able to return to normality. We need to do everything we can to keep ourselves and each other safe over Christmas and the winter.”
The ‘Relight Business Programme’ will provide support by way of financial health checks, analysis of funding and cashflow, reviews of products and ways to improve market awareness.
It will go live early in the New Year with applications being invited from Monday. For more information and the online application form, visit www.wolvesinbusiness.com from then. All applicants must show ambition and passion about their business.
