Swindon & Wiltshire News
Firms urged to apply to £3.2bn Regional Growth Fund
Wiltshire and Swindon businesses are being urged to apply for a share of £3.2 billion, as the fifth round of the Regional Growth Fund has opens.
The call has come from Swindon & Wiltshire LEP, a business-led partnership between the two unitary councils (Swindon & Wiltshire) and the private sector tasked with driving economic growth, creating jobs and new business opportunities, and working with central government to attract public and private investment into the area.
A pot of £300 million is available to private sector projects and programmes that leverage private sector investment and create sustainable jobs.
Worth £3.2 billion in total, the Regional Growth Fund is helping businesses across the country to create jobs and drive economic growth, with £2 billion of funding already committed through earlier rounds.
Back in July, Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells of Swindon and Cooper Tires of Melksham saw their bids accepted in the fourth round of bids.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “This fund has so far helped over 400 projects and over 3,000 small and medium-sized businesses across the country to boost our economy – expanding, improving, innovating and helping secure our economic recovery.
“The economic recovery is starting to bloom – we’re seeing very encouraging signs that we are turning a crucial corner on our road to recovery. Home-grown and British-based businesses are leading that charge for a stronger economy.
“The RGF is a helping hand from the government, but I pay tribute to the people who are working hard to fuel our recovery.”
Businesses have until December 9 to submit their bids for the round five, with round six opening in the summer of 2014.
For more information, including application details, log on to https://www.gov.uk/understanding-the-regional-growth-fund#how-to-apply
