ESSEX County Council has pledged its commitment to restart the county’s economy with funding and new schemes which are launching.

The council’s 2021/22 budget and 12-month Organisation Plan was approved on February 23 and sets out the measures aiming to secure economic growth.

Measures will tackle increased unemployment and help people develop the skills they need to thrive post Covid-19.

Unemployment is at a 30-year high in Essex, with young people under 25 feeling the greatest impact.

The Kickstart Essex scheme will continue to support the creation of new jobs for 16-24 year-olds, which enables small and medium sized enterprises to access Government funding to pay a young person’s salary for six months.

So far 124 local businesses have registered, enabling 200 young, unemployed people to get into work, with 500 more placements expected to be created in the next year.

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The ‘Essex Accelerator’ programme is set to continue. It involves an intensive eight-week course which supports those at risk of unemployment or who are recently unemployed to set up their own business, with four new courses expected for this year.

There will also be the introduction of the additional business support grant for self-employed people in the county worth up to £5,000 each.

In response to the pandemic, there will be £7.2 million extra funding for Covid-19 business recovery grants in addition to emergency business funding announced last year, with an additional £1 million funding for Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans.

Tony Ball, councillor responsible for economic development, said: “We are dedicated to building back the Essex economy as our highest priority in the coming year and in a way that everyone benefits.

“We’ll get people back into work, give businesses the support they need to survive and grow, and enable people to grow their skills so they can thrive as Essex recovers.

“We will do all we can to get Essex back in business.”