In April 2020 the Government
released £12Bn to Council to issue to small businesses to help them through the
Covid crisis.
On 3rd August 2020
the Federation of Small Businesses reported that £1.5Bn lay in Councils bank
accounts unclaimed. But as we saw in mid-July Northumberland’s finance
portfolio holder told the press that he thought the Government owed the Council
an additional £9M that they may not be able to recover.
His statement could of course
have been simple accounting measures to fill another of his now famous ‘Black
Holes’ but we thought we would ask around the County to see whats happened to
the cash.
Quickly we found that in the
Bars near the marts across the County that Farmers were praising the Tory touts
who have performed miracles for them helping to gift as many small businesses
involved in farming a separate grant to cover losses caused by the virus. You
may think that admirable?
But those left behind are fuming
at the way they have been treated. An example we have been given from the trade
is that of Taxi and Coach firms who do a fantastic job either getting our
children to school across Northumberland’s vast wildernesses and back home in
the evening, and those who ferry people in greatest need to the places of
safety where they spend their days through small beneficial to the Council
social services contracts.
Early in the pandemic period
these businesses were paid a small retainer. That pittance was key to the
Councils attitude towards them, months later, they were denied access to the
grant payments received by those they ferried home in the middle of the night
from the reopened bars and restaurants with their pockets bulging.
Were certain from the cabbies
and mini-bus/coach pople we spoke with that they won’t forget this treatment of
them and their trade in a hurry.
We won’t know what the £9M from
Councillor Oliver is about until after the 2021 Local Government election
period but we expect that a Government audit instruction on Councils is issued
to have their external auditors check the details and we will be watching to
see if the Truth will out.
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