Nearly 1,000 claims for foot and mouth aid (From Western Telegraph)

Nearly 1,000 claims for foot and mouth aid

Pembrokeshire County Council has received nearly 1,000 claims from local businesses for financial aid to counter the effects of the foot and mouth disease outbreak, members of the county policy and resources committee were told on Thursday.

Director of finance, Mr Mark Lewis, reported that the total distributed so far was about £1.6m of which the council had to find 25% against a special grant.

He said he had received a further bid from Irish Ferries for £50,000. The council was allocated £1.23m by the National Assembly to help businesses affected by foot and mouth and the deadline for the scheme was extended to the end of the month.

Among the grants made were £308,500 in rate relief to local businesses, £290,907 for various applicants to the Pembrokeshire Marketing Initiative, £94,600 to Stena Line, £50,000 to Oakwood and £50 to Festival of the Countryside.