Business Secretary Vince Cable today launched a £60 million pot of Regional Growth Fund investment and bank finance at the Community Development Finance Association’s (CDFA) annual conference. The CDFA will receive £30 million from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF) which has been matched with a further £30 million by the Co-operative Bank and Unity Trust Bank to provide lending to small, micro and social enterprises. The funding is expected to create or safeguard over 8,000 jobs over six years… Read More >

A £1m business loan fund to boost the economy and create jobs has been launched by Dudley Council. Local authority bosses have put pen to paper to launch the Dudley Business Loan Fund over the next two years. The council has created the initiative in partnership with the Black Country Reinvestment Society (BCRS), to help offer financial support to small and medium-sized businesses in the borough. The fund will offer loans from £10,000 to £50,000 and is open to companies… Read More >

Local residents of the Black Country are being encouraged to explore their entrepreneurial spirit and set up a new business through the help of a vital support project. The Supporting Employment and Enterprise Development project (SEED) is supported by £249,500 from the European Regional Development Fund, which is managed by the Department for Communities and Local Government and matched and delivered by Access to Business (A2B) and SWEDA. Carole Taylor, Access to Business Advisor stated “anyone who would like to… Read More >