First Minister Urged to Keep to his word and Make Business Support “Immediately available”

Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Senedd for Aberconwy, has written to Mark Drakeford MS, First Minister, urging him to keep to his word and make business support immediately available.

The letter follows the recent announcement by the First Minister that “Ministers have made an immediate decision to release funding to support businesses affected by the restrictions”

Championing Aberconwy businesses, Janet said:

“Yet again the Welsh Government is tripping up on business support. 

“Whilst the First Minister’s press release claims that an immediate decision has been made to release funding, the same statement explains that the eligibility checker will not open until 17 May, and that applications for funding cannot be made until the end of the month.

“We then need to take into account the unspecified application assessment time, which could reasonably see businesses in Aberconwy wait a whole month from election day to seeing a much needed financial lifeline.

“All support is vital and welcome, but the last tranche of finance ran out more than a month ago, so I have written to the First Minister to ask that he keeps to his word, makes business support immediately available, and that this be backdated to the start of the financial year.

“At the moment it looks like taxpayers money is set to be trapped by the Welsh Government until next month, when it should be with businesses now”.

ENDS