Marches LEP welcomes business help

March 17, 2020

The organisation charged with driving economic growth across the Marches today welcomed new measures to help business survive the coronavirus crisis – and pledged to do everything it can to ensure as much as the help as possible reached the region.
The Marches Local Enterprise Partnership says the £350billion package of measures announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak will give much-needed aid to businesses fighting to survive the crisis.
Marches LEP chair Mandy Thorn said she expected more measures to be announced in the coming days and promised that the LEP would use its role to lobby the Government on behalf of all businesses in Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.
The financial measures announced yesterday include £330bn in loans, £20bn in other aid, a business rates holiday and grants for retailers and pubs, and come on top of measures already announced in the Budget.
Mrs Thorn said: “This is an unprecedented emergency which requires an unprecedented response. It is essential that our business community is given all the necessary help to survive the coming months so that otherwise successful companies are not placed in jeopardy through no fault of their own.
“This package of support will play an important part in doing that but it needs to be available immediately to be most effective so that employers can pay staff this month and start planning for the next few months.
“We will continue to lobby Government for further measures to support our businesses and use our unrivalled expertise in promoting business support to make sure all business can access this help.
“Our Marches Growth Hub already offers access to a huge range of schemes and will play an important role in promoting this new support and ensuring it reaches the people who need it most.”
For the latest details of the coronavirus support available visit https://marchesgrowthhub.co.uk/coronavirus

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The Marches Local Enterprise Partnership has now ceased trading and transferred all its functions to Shropshire Council working with Telford & Wrekin Council and Herefordshire Council, in line with the UK Government's plans for devolution.

The Marches LEP was established in 2011 and hands over an impressive legacy from its 13-year life. In that time the LEP invested over £196m in projects across the Marches, securing in excess of £100m of match funding and supported more than 66,000 business interactions.

The schemes supported have made tangible differences to local communities, increasing skills, creating jobs and improving the physical appearance of many towns.

We would like to thank all the LEP Board Members who have given their time freely over the life of the LEP, as well as all the staff who worked for the LEP over the years. We also want to thank our delivery partners, local education providers and local, regional and national stakeholders who helped us achieve so much.

The Marches Growth Hub will continue to support businesses and will be managed by Shropshire Council, supported by Telford and Wrekin and Herefordshire Councils. Each of the three Local Authorities will also continue to provide direct business support locally. Details of this support will be available through the Marches Growth Hub website and from the Local Authorities directly. Website: www.marchesgrowthhub.co.uk | email: enquiries@marchesgrowthhub.co.uk.

The Marches Careers Hub will continue to be delivered and will be managed by Shropshire Council, supported by Telford & Wrekin and Herefordshire Councils. Website: www.marchescareershub.co.uk | email: info@marchescareershub.co.uk

For any queries about Getting Building Fund (GBF), Local Growth Fund (LGF) and Marches Investment Fund (MIF) projects supported by the Marches LEP please contact: gary.spence@shropshire.gov.uk

For any finance queries please contact: michelle.hodgkiss@shropshire.gov.uk

The solvent liquidation of the Marches LEP is being managed by the Evelyn Partners Limited. For any matter related to this please contact: Camilla.Mulholland@evelyn.com

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