To send your own letter, email bfpletters@london.newsquest.co.uk. Please note, any letters sent to the Bucks Free Press office are only being picked up periodically as all staff are still working from home.
LETTER OF THE WEEK: We must value lives lost to Covid-19 Last week saw the official record of 100,000 Covid-related deaths in the UK. There has been much debate about why the UK has the worst record in the world, in terms of ratio of deaths to the population. There has also been debate as to how this appalling tragedy should be marked, including the creation of memorials and establishing a memorial day.
Fenland businesses reminded to apply for Covid grants
| Updated: 13:44, 04 February 2021
Fenland businesses which have been impacted by local and national Covid-19 restrictions are being reminded to check if theyâre eligible for grant support.
Fenland District Council is administering a range of Government business grant schemes via its website at: www.fenland.gov.uk/businessgrants â and is urging businesses to apply before the closing dates.
Since the first lockdown last year, the council has distributed more than £24million in funding and made over 2,500 payments to businesses, with over £3million being paid out to businesses since the December restrictions came into force.
A TOTAL of 2,900 businesses applied for extra vital business grant funding to help them through the national lock-downs, Cornwall Council has revealed. As the deadline to apply ended last night, local businesses have been talking about how vital business grant funding has helped them through the national lockdowns. Cornish wildlife attraction Paradise Park wildlife sanctuary at Hayle is home to over 1,000 birds and animals which all need to be fed and cared for even while there are no visitors allowed in to visit and admire them. Alison Hales, Director of Paradise Park at Hayle said: “We’ve had a difficult year but with help we are getting through these extraordinary times.”
CEC says it is working hard to tackle delays in providing funds for firms BOROUGH chiefs say they are working hard to get Covid relief funding to businesses as soon as possible after high demand led to a backlog. So far, £118 million has been paid out in grants to help Cheshire East businesses survive the pandemic, and more cash is still available. This includes the Additional Restrictions Grant – a discretionary fund which requires checks on eligible businesses – and CEC expects to pay another £4.5 million of this money by the end of March. With such high demand for the cash, CEC is apologising for any delays in the process, insisting it is improving its application process and working hard to tackle the backlog.
More than £26 million in coronavirus support for South Lakes businesses
29/01/2021
More than £26 million is being paid out to more than 4,000 businesses in South Lakeland to help them survive the coronavirus pandemic.
Automated payments totalling £24.8m are being sent to 3,558 businesses as part of the January lockdown support package.
At the same time, £1.482m is being paid to 662 businesses through the second discretionary Additional Restrictions Grant.
The money was paid out on Wednesday and should be in bank accounts from today.
Councillor Robin Ashcroft, portfolio holder for economy, culture and leisure at South Lakeland District Council, said: “This payment of more than £26m is the biggest ever BACS payment that SLDC has ever made, and required our payment limit to be raised especially.