Eastbourne Borough Council has won a top "excellence in innovation" award this week for the online system the council developed to ensure a fast and efficient distribution of business grants during the height of the pandemic.
In Eastbourne, a massive £37,442,856 was quickly paid out to 4,645 businesses.
The Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV) award recognised the collaboration between the council, Walsall Council and Ascendent Solutions, with the number one objective being the payment of the right amount to the right business as quickly as possible, in tandem with the rapid collection of information, ensuring it was accurate, preventing fraud and drastically reducing administrative time.
Councillor David Tutt, Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council, said: "This award is testament to the fantastic work we carried out quickly with our partners to make sure local businesses were able to access much-needed money without delay."
Alongside our rapid response in getting this portal launched, I am also proud of its efficiency - the application procedure was streamlined and easy to use, and funds were delivered in a secure and fast manner.
Well done to everyone involved."
