WEST Yorkshire's leaders have criticised today's fresh financial support package announced by the Government, saying it "does not go far enough".

Chancellor Rishi Sunak laid out earlier today the new financial support being given to businesses, which included grants up to £2,000 for businesses in Tier 2 areas, more help to pay employee's wages and a reduction in the number of hours they are required to work, and more money to support the self-employed.

But West Yorkshire's leaders; Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe and her peers in Leeds, Kirklees, Calderdale and Wakefield, have issued a joint statement emphasising their disappointment.

They said: "We wrote to the Chancellor last week calling on him to commit to support businesses in areas with Tier Two restrictions. Whilst today’s announcement appears to be a step in the right direction, it does not go far enough.

"Many businesses in Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees have been operating under these restrictions for some months, so whilst they will welcome the ability to apply for business grants retrospectively from the beginning of August, it is disappointing that only now this need has been recognised by the Government.

"The changes to the Job Support Scheme will make it easier for employers to keep people in work on fewer hours and, having come through a difficult period in the spring and summer, this will be of some relief to employers and their workforce looking at a harsh winter ahead. 

"However, it’s still not enough to prevent real hardship for many people on low incomes in our region. The Government is expecting people on low salaries to tighten their belts further and live on less than three quarters of their wages.

"We have been clear that we need to strengthen the health measures to keep people safe from the effects of COVID-19 whilst doing as little damage as possible to the economy, jobs and people’s livelihoods.

"We have seen unemployment almost double across our region since March. While these new short-term solutions are welcome, we call on the Government to work with us on the long-term solution presented in the West Yorkshire Recovery Plan: an inclusive approach, that will ensure the worst affected by this pandemic are not left ignored."

Negotiations have been going on between West Yorkshire and the Government today about moving the county into Tier 3 Very High Covid alert level, and have been ongoing for a number of days. Tier 3 would see even tighter restrictions enforced on businesses particularly in hospitality.