BUSINESSES in Monmouthshire are “falling between the cracks” as grants are handed out to help during the coronavirus pandemic, a senior council member has said.

Speaking at a meeting on Wednesday, May 6, Monmouthshire County Council’s cabinet member for innovation, enterprise and leisure Cllr Bob Greenland said there were around 200 to 300 businesses in the county that are ineligible for either UK Government or Welsh Government grants.

At the end of last month, the council had paid out more than £16 million in support grants to 1,240 businesses.

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Cllr Greenland said to make this happen staff had to be redeployed from other areas.

He said: “They have all done extremely well in administering these grants to our businesses.

“But we still have some businesses that are falling between the cracks and we are talking quite a number of businesses, maybe 200 to 300 in Monmouthshire.

“Of a particular concern will be the very smallest of these businesses who, so far under the rules of Westminster and Welsh Government, are receiving no help whatsoever.

“Businesses need to know that we will continue to press the cases for all businesses who are not receiving help.

“I am particularly concerned about the future of our town centres and the individual businesses that are there.”

The cabinet member for social justice and community development Sara Jones said that work was also taking place to map the effect of coronavirus on people’s incomes.

A report on this is expected later in the year.