A candidate for next year’s Essex County Council elections has welcomed additional support by the Chancellor for Essex businesses impacted as a result of the County moving to Tier 2 of the Coronavirus alert levels.
As reported in last week’s Braintree and Witham Times (22nd October), Ross Playle, who is standing for the Conservative Party in Witham Northern, called on local MPs and the Council to go further in pressing the Chancellor for more support to businesses directly impacted by the increase in alert level.
Last Thursday, the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announced that businesses and the self-employed in Tier 2 would indeed get more support. Firms which are experiencing significant difficult will receive additional Government support including increased wage contributions for staff along with business grants and grants for the self-employed doubled to 40% of previous earnings.
Ross Playle said, “I am pleased that businesses in Essex will now receive extra help from Government. This was something I called for and thought was absolutely vital for the future-proofing of local businesses, particularly those in hospitality. This extra support will be a big help for local businesses and help protect local jobs.
Whilst no one wishes Essex to be in Tier 2, we all must now work together to and follow the public health guidance to make the case as soon as possible to move back onto the Medium Tier.”
