Praise for High Street Fund
Prime Minister David Cameron has today applauded the contribution made by the private sector to getting communities back on their feet in the areas affected by recent rioting.
To mark the launch of a new business-led High Street Fund, offering crucial short-term help to businesses that suffered damage and looting, the PM said:
The High Street Fund is a great example of British business putting something back. Big companies are helping smaller ones affected by the riots to get back on their feet and prosper once again. Alongside the Government’s £20m High Street Support Scheme, it will be a big help for those people looking to get back to work as soon as possible.
The incredible response to the riots two weeks ago has shown the best of Britain. Across the country we saw people come together to help their communities, whether it was by bringing out their brooms, protecting their streets or guarding their temples. The High Street Fund is another great example and I want to thank all the companies involved for taking part.
Mr Cameron has asked Philip N Green, former Chief Executive of United Utilities, and now Adviser to the Prime Minister and Ed Davey on Corporate Responsibility, to keep him in touch with the Fund’s progress in helping Britain’s high streets get back to business.
Notes to editors
- The High Street Fund has been established by Sir William Castell in a private capacity (Chairman of the Wellcome Trust) and has already raised around £3m through support from Barclays, BP, Santander, Deloitte, Capita, Lloyds and RBS.
- The High Street Support Scheme is separate to the High Street Fund and is funded jointly by the Departments for Communities and Local Government, and Business Innovation and Skills. It is available for the streets and areas where businesses were affected by the rioting. The money is intended to finance those measures that will get business trading again and meet short term costs. Councils will distribute the money and could use it to reduce business rates, finance building repairs and encourage customers back to the affected areas.
- Philip N Green was Chief Executive of United Utilities PLC until March 2011 and he has been a Non-Executive Director of Carillion since June 2011. He has been a Non-Executive Director of Business in the Community since 2007; in 2009 United Utilities, under his leadership, was awarded Business in the Community’s company of the year. He is also Chairman of Prince Harry’s charity Sentebale.
- As Adviser on Corporate Responsibility, he will help government to engage business with the Every Business Commits agenda that the PM launched at Business in the Community in December last year. He will also work closely with the new Cabinet Office Partnerships Team to work with business to deliver key Every Business Commits policy initiatives.
External site: Help for businesses affected by the riots