European Union to give council £500,000 to help small businesses in Doncaster

The money is set to come from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) which aims to take money from richer regions to be distributed to poorer ones.

South Yorkshire is noted as one of the poorest regions in the EU - inner West and East London is one of the richest along with Brussels and Hamburg.

The EU money will be used to form the ‘Community Wealth Builder’ programme who will provide support to new and existing social enterprises information, and networking opportunities that officers hope they ‘increase the likelihood of survival and growth’.

The majority of the money will be used to create two job positions aimed at increasing job creation supporting a minimum of 35 community-based companies, social enterprises and cooperatives, to become ‘competent to supply and to win new business’.

CWB will provide at least 12 hours of assistance designed to create and develop social enterprises.

The programme will also engage with major institutions such as colleges and hospitals in a bid to rebalance the social and economic disparities across the borough.

Vanessa Powell-Hoyland, theme lead at Well Doncaster, said: “Team Doncaster has been working resolutely on addressing the lack of support for local people to gain a better understanding of the knowledge and skills to succeed.

“CWB programme will provide non-financial support such as signposting to business forum, to new and existing social enterprises, by providing enterprise development packages, information, and networking opportunities.”