WEST MIDLANDS communities and businesses have had £2.5 billion in government funding since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic, ministers estimate.
They say the money has helped to support some of the most vulnerable people, alongside the sectors hardest hit.
It comes as the region’s Conservative council leaders and Mayor Andy Street are calling on more support for the automative sector.
Business leaders, as we have reported, have also consistently urged more support from furlough and loan schemes, and much more, with unemployment nationally rising above two million.
A Conservative Party spokesman for the region said: “In total, the government has announced almost £27 billion for local communities since the start of March.
“This includes billions of pounds in grants for small businesses and business rates reliefs for industries such as hospitality and leisure that have not been able to operate during lockdown.
“As part of this, local authorities across the West Midlands as a region have received an unprecedented level of additional support, sharing £3.2 billion in direct grants of which £347 million has gone to the West Midlands region.”
