Business Support Scheme Approved

A popular grant scheme designed to benefit small businesses in Breckland was given the green light to continue today, when an additional £20,000 funding for the BELA 3 (Breckland Enterprise and Learning Account) scheme was approved.

Breckland Council Cabinet members heard how, over the past 3 years, the previous BELA 1 and 2 grant schemes had assisted over 60 small businesses in the area with grants of up to £500. The current BELA 2 scheme had proved to be so popular that outstanding applications from businesses exceeded the funds available. Rather than turn these businesses away, Cabinet members decided to allocate further funds from the Breckland Match Funding Reserve to continue to support the scheme with BELA 3. Funding of £5,000 for the scheme was approved earlier this year by the Breckland Partnership.

Head of Economic Development, Mark Stanton said;

“Of the numerous enquires received by our Economic Development team almost all are from individuals seeking help to start up in business, or from small established businesses who need help to enable future growth and stability. Although the BELA grants are relatively small, we know from past experience that they can be just what a small established business needs to move forward, and can help new start-up businesses make the entrepreneurial leap”.

The aim of the BELA 3 scheme is to provide small, flexible match-funding grants of up to £500 to all prospective and established small businesses in the Breckland area who have less than 10 employees. For further information about the scheme, call Breckland Council Economic Development Officer, Lindy Warmer on 01362 656870.