County council working to help businesses

More than 1,000 businesses across County Durham have already received their grant to help support them through the coronavirus pandemic.

Staff at Durham County Council have worked tirelessly since Government guidance was received late last week to contact businesses whose properties qualify for the funding.

Working over the weekend, the local authority announced that it had helped 1,134 properties – paying more than £12million to local businesses – by 10am on Monday. This started ahead of the Government’s April 1 deadline and before any funding has been received from the Government.

More than 8,000 properties across the county are eligible for the grants, which range from £10,000 to £25,000 depending on the size of the company.

Coun Carl Marshall, portfolio holder for economic regeneration, said: “The council has worked extremely hard to implement the guidance, and our staff have been contacting local companies to obtain all of the details required to make the payments.

“We will continue to process payments as quickly as possible now that information has started coming in from our businesses – we know they need the money and we are prioritising making payments to them.

“I must also praise staff, who have been working on all business rates payments under what are incredibly difficult circumstances.

“We have already processed all of the business rate reliefs that were announced last week and revised bills have been issued – providing a further £44million of reductions to business rates bills and much-needed support to our local businesses.”