Minister in talks with local business leaders.
Responding immediately to requests from business leaders, John Healey MP, Minister of State for Communities & Local Government met with representatives of both Sheffield and Rotherham Chambers of Commerce and Business Link to discuss and raise issues relating to the recent floods and how these affected local businesses.

At the meeting held at the Magna Centre, a number of issues were raised with the Minister, particular those relating to the response from central government and other agencies.

The many hundreds of businesses affected by the recent flooding needed both immediate support and also longer-term assistance to enable them to help the “extraordinary efforts” undertaken by companies and their staff already.

A joint statement by both Chambers indicated their willingness to act as discretionary guarantors for claims that are made through the Yorkshire Forward scheme and other potential sources of support so that local businesses can receive financial assistance as soon as possible. Other suggestions made to the Minister will focus on business rate relief, deferrals on VAT and other payments, 100% allowances on new capital purchases and dealing with responses from businesses in the same way as recent other disasters such as the foot and mouth crisis and the major incident at Buncefield.

The Minister will receive a full outline of the suggestions by Monday of next week which will enable him to be fully briefed on the local situation prior to a number of meetings he has planned with representatives of the insurance, banking and financial sectors and also with other key government agencies.

***** Following on from an initial emergency meeting for business affected by the recent flooding, a further event organised by the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce will take place to assist business recovery.

There will be panel session with senior representatives from national and local government, regional development, insurance, banking and business support. The purpose of the panel session is to update affected businesses as to assistance available. There will also be a question and answer session to the panel.

There will follow several break out sessions where concerned businesses can take part in surgeries dealing with specific issues such as insurance or specific issues facing certain types of business such as manufacturing.

For more information click here