WEST Devon Borough and South Hams District Councils have handed out essential funding of more than £9.2-million received from the Government to support local businesses affected by Covid-19.

This is providing a crucial lifeline to businesses in the current economic climate and will help the local economy to survive.

Across the two councils, £9.2-million is on its way to 703 businesses in the South Hams and West Devon so far.

This is the conclusion of what has been a complex and difficult process since the measure was announced in the Budget, said the council. During that period the councils have taken over 12,000 calls from businesses and sent out nearly 5,500 letters to eligible businesses for business grants.

With over 2,500 applications received so far, there has been a ‘herculean effort’ by the councils to get essential funding out to those who urgently need it, since the councils received the funding from the Government on April 1.

If you haven’t yet applied for your grant on West Devon Borough Council’s website, please do so as soon as possible so that it can process your claim. You will need your unique reference number from the letter sent to your business rate contact address to be able to apply online.

South Hams and West Devon’s voices are being added to those of neighbouring councils Devon, Plymouth and Torbay in lobbying the Government over the severity of the economic situation for Devon. They reinforce the report from neighbouring councils in calling for the Government to support those businesses who don’t fit into any of the support measures already announced.

This includes a £40-million Response and Recovery Fund which is flexible enough to allow funding grants for small businesses missing out on government support. Also being lobbied for are loans for businesses with a turnover over £45-million, along with a request for speeding up support for the self-employed.

Cllr Neil Jory, leader of West Devon Borough Council, said: ‘We fully understand that time is of the essence to help businesses to survive in the current climate and I urge everyone to support our local businesses who are still able to operate to help them to stay afloat. If we don’t support them through this crisis, they will most certainly struggle to survive, so let’s rally round them.

‘We also know that some businesses still need workers such as crop pickers which are desperately needed at the moment to harvest crops so they don’t get wasted. We’re currently working out how to put those people in need of short term work in touch with the businesses who currently have work available.’

The council encourages anyone needing support to engage through its website and staff will respond as quickly as they can.

Find more information at www.westdevon.gov.uk