Halton and the Liverpool City Region have secured an additional £30million in Covid-19 business support from the Government.
It comes in addition to the £14m already received to support the local Test, Trace and Isolate system and local enforcement efforts, to make a total of £44m in additional funding secured in support of the Tier 3 restrictions.
The City Region also received £7m when it went in to Tier 2 status, meaning a total package of £51m so far.
The funding comes after the City Region was the first to be placed on the Tier 3 ‘very high’ Covid alert level restrictions, leading to closures of hospitality, leisure and other business and impacting many that remain open.
Cllr Rob Polhill the Leader of Halton Council said:
“Working closely with Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and the Mayor and Leaders of the Liverpool City Region Councils we have been able to secure for Halton a significant financial package to fight the virus, support businesses affected by the restrictions place on them and protect jobs where ever we can.
“We can all play our part in fighting the virus and keeping ourselves and our loved ones safe by following the rules, washing our hands, socially distancing and wear face coverings when required. This will help us all to get back to normal as quickly as possible.
Speaking on behalf of the City Mayor and Leaders of the six city region Local Authorities, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said:
“Once it became clear that the Government were going to impose Tier 3 restrictions on our City Region, we held a series of meetings with the Government throughout last weekend, with the aim of protecting our NHS and supporting local people and business.
“We have been absolutely clear since we were put in to Tier 3 that we would continue to press the Government and hold meaningful dialogue to secure vitally needed extra economic support.
“The result of this is that, today, we have obtained from the Government, an additional £30million in funding.
“This is welcome news for our economy and the thousands of people whose businesses and jobs will now be supported through this very difficult period.”