Scheme saves and creates 300 jobs

More than 300 jobs have been created or safeguarded thanks to a business grants scheme, according to Powys County Council.

The start-up and expansion grants have created 171 jobs and safeguarded a further 158 since they were introduced by the county council in 2011.

Start-up grants provide funding of up to £2,500 and expansion grants funding of up to £5,000, with both schemes operating with an intervention rate of 50 per cent.

Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture, Councillor Wynne Jones said: “The various grant schemes have really come into their own this year, and with demand levels still high I am confident we shall reach a figure closer to 200 jobs created for the 12 months to end of March.

“In these desperate economic times it is essential for the council to provide this sort of support for new and expanding businesses.

“For Powys this is a lot of jobs, but more importantly this means a lot of people and their families have a real income and hope for their future. We continue to work on finding various ways to further support the economy and to try and help the Powys economy out of recession,” he added.