£5m Staffordshire business support package unveiled

A £5million package of support programmes, to help small businesses and boost apprenticeships, has been launched through a Staffordshire councils' partnership.

The latest support programmes proposed would see an investment to fund wages for 500 apprentices, a training top-up fund for businesses to upskill their employees and a grants scheme to enable small businesses to thrive.

By pooling a targeted county council investment with district and borough council support funding, the programmes could get off the ground and benefit small businesses imminently.

The three programmes would also be topped up by Government funding and other sources, totalling £5million.

The Staffordshire 500, Apprentices Wage Support programme would see up to 500 apprentices created by incentivising employers to take on 16 to 24-year-olds by contributing to the cost of their wages.

It would support smaller companies that do not pay into the national apprenticeship levy. The programme could also offer apprentices progression from the national Kickstart scheme.

Businesses would be offered support to upskill their employees or train new staff in accordance with their changing business operations or entering new markets through the Nil Cost Training for Employers Top-up Project. Grants of up to £5,000 would be provided and matched through other funding sources. Up to 400 Staffordshire businesses could be supported over the next 15 months through the programme.

The Small Business 'To Thrive ' Financial Support programme would offer grants to small businesses between £2,000 and £5,000 to cover expenditure costs essential to their operations.

The new programmes would add to the package of support which has already been put in place by the county council. This includes a £615,000 investment in start-up business support.

Staffordshire County Council 's deputy leader and cabinet member for economy and skills Philip White (pictured) said: "It is critical that as a county council we continue to prioritise support for small businesses and people whose jobs or employment prospects have been impacted by the pandemic.

"In an area like Staffordshire that has a county council plus district and borough councils with their own Covid-19 funding this support is far more effectively delivered by close collaborative working between councils and a range of other partners to make our respective funding go further.

"We hope that our three new programmes will enable the Additional Restrictions Grant to reach more people affected by the pandemic. We owe it to businesses and communities to direct all available funding where it is needed most, and vitally to make it accessible as soon as possible.

"The new programmes are designed to complement existing support schemes and cover gaps in the assistance already available. We look forward to working with colleagues across our district and boroughs to get them off the ground imminently. ”