A NEW grant scheme to help more businesses in Craven struggling to cope in the coronavirus crisis has been launched by Craven District Council.

The council has about £1.2 million to give out to some businesses, such as bed and breakfasts and market traders, who have been unable to access other grant funding.

Businesses need to apply to the council by midday on June 17, and will be assessed against criteria, currently in draft form, to be approved by the council’s Policy Committee later this month.

Councillor Richard Foster, council leader, said: “We know that many of our businesses have not been eligible for Government assistance until now. We have been pressing on their behalf for more help and I’m glad that we can now launch this scheme.

“We do have a fixed amount of funding available from Government and the council will seek to divide this funding up as fairly as possible between eligible businesses.

“We will be making payments as quickly as possible to support struggling businesses and would ask for patience so that we can ensure we are fair and reasonable in allocating these discretionary payments.”

The council says all claims must be made online, and once the application window is closed, all will be considered against the criteria as soon as possible.

Depending on the number of applications, and the amount left over, the council says it could invite more applications, or amend some of the amounts to be given out, if appropriate.

Businesses which have already filled in a form on the council’s website , requesting help through the discretionary grant scheme, will be automatically contacted, but by providing the additional information required on the new form they may be able to speed up the process.

The Government says the intention of the scheme is to help small and micro businesses, businesses with relatively high ongoing fixed property-related costs, those that can demonstrate they have suffered a significant fall in income due to the covid-19 crisis, and businesses which occupy property, or part of a property, with a rateable value or annual rent or annual mortgage payments of below £51,000.

Councils have been asked to prioritise bed and breakfast accommodation, regular market traders and businesses in shared or flexible workspace.

To apply for the new grant funding, and to find out more, visit: www.cravendc.gov.uk/grants.