The Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy – Janet Finch-Saunders MS – has today (02 November) urged the Welsh Government to re-open the ERF application process and ensure that funding meets demand, after the third phase of the scheme was paused at the close of last week.
Following the suspension of the application process, the Welsh Conservatives group in the Welsh Parliament wrote to the Welsh Government seeking clarity on the different funding schemes, having been approached by concerned business owners. Urgent clarity on the support available is being sought after local business owners have been told to “monitor the Business Wales Covid-19 Support For Business website and our social media channels for other support and updates.”
Commenting, Janet said:
“I am dismayed that the Welsh Government's ERF Covid business grant fund closed just 24 hours after it launched, with many local business owners detailing system glitches that left them unable to apply. This whole process has only added more anxiety, which is wholly unnecessary and was totally avoidable.
“It was not like the Welsh Government could not have foreseen such demand when they forced us into a Wales-wide lockdown, resulting in the wide-spread closure of businesses. The Welsh Government needs to re-open the application process and ensure that the funding support meets demand if our nation’s entrepreneurs are to bridge this period.
“As the Chair of the Cross-Party Group on Small Shops, I was incredibly alarmed to learn that, during the third quarter of 2020, the Welsh shop vacancy rate increased to 18.0%, from 15.9% in the second quarter. This is tangible evidence of the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the retail and small business sectors.
“This vacancy rate stands only to increase as a result of this farcical Welsh Government grant process. Businesses and jobs are at risk, so I urge Ken to get his skates on and reverse this grant scheme closure as a matter of urgency. The business owners of Conwy cannot be left wanting.”
ENDS
