A NUMBER of Bridgwater businesses are set to benefit from the latest round of Sedgemoor District Council's grants scheme.

A total of £100,000 has been ear-marked by Sedgemoor for allocating grants of up to £5,000 per business to fund activities from recruitment, staff retention and marketing, to research and diversification or to pay for new facilities and equipment.

The second round of grants closes on Friday, February 9, and there is more information about what they money can cover and which businesses are eligible on the council website: sedgemoor.gov.uk/smallbusinessgrants.

A Sedgemoor District Council spokesman explained that the scheme will prioritise funding for those small or medium sized businesses with the potential for growth and needing a little additional help to develop. Grants cannot be used to supplement a loss of income and only one application per business can be considered.

The first round of the grant scheme was launched last summer and a panel of assessors looked at applications from dozens of companies and individuals of which ten were successful including those from a builder, a taxi firm, a rugby club, a tree surgeon and an engineer.

Bridgwater-based, family-owned Monmouth Scientific is one of the UK’s leading designers, manufacturers and suppliers of clean air solutions and received a grant from Sedgemoor towards research and development.

David Pomeroy of Monmouth Scientific said: “The new system will ensure ongoing growth within our business whilst offering a more efficient bespoke product design service to our whole customer base. Thank you Sedgemoor District Council.”

Drinkwater Tree Services of Lympsham is using its grant to pay for training and equipment that will mean it can work more efficiently, take on more contracts and employ more people, according to office manager Genevieve Drinkwater who said the team was excited about the opportunities it would bring.

Engineer Mark Smeed from Othery applied for funding to buy a motive water pump to show how his company could assist businesses using Water Jet Cutting Processes and he says that without this help he would struggle to demonstrate his approach and win new business.