Councillors express dismay to Chancellor about lockdown business support
The Leaders of South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils have written a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to express their dismay that the national lockdown was announced without sufficient support for all businesses in place.
Cllrs Sue Cooper and Emily Smith explained that businesses have already been in touch with the council extremely concerned that they are now facing an immediate loss of income, including many who fell through the gaps of the government’s previous grants schemes during the last lockdown.
The councils are working extremely hard to provide support, advice and guidance to all businesses in their districts. They are already making contact with businesses to explain what support is available through the government’s new and extended grants schemes but are frustrated that guidance on these schemes has been slow in coming from government to enable the councils to support businesses as soon as possible. Frustratingly, the Additional Restrictions Grant is only a one-off lump sum to be used over the next 17 months to support businesses, and the councils understand that no further discretionary funding will be provided if further lockdowns affecting the districts are needed.
Any businesses in the two districts that are concerned about the impact of the lockdown should get in touch with the councils’ South and Vale Business Support service immediately via the website at www.svbs.co.uk
