Tiny firms forming the bedrock of North Yorkshire’s economy have the chance to benefit from £1 million in funding through a new package of capital grants.

Small and micro businesses, which make up 98 per cent of the county’s economy, can apply for the small business grant scheme, administered by North Yorkshire Council through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The scheme is focussed on increasing business growth, productivity and resilience and grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 are available.

This is the second round of small business grants, following an incredibly successful first round of this programme in the last financial year which saw £750,000 awarded to businesses across the county.

Alex Brown, a videographer based in Selby, was awarded a grant of £4,300 to buy new camera equipment including a drone to expand and upgrade his services.

Thanks to the new equipment, Alex was able to secure two commissions from a German international TV news channel, a job he would not previously have been able to take as his old camera did not meet the broadcaster’s requirements.

Alex said: “The fact I’ve got a better camera which is Netflix-approved means people will be getting a better product. I’ve had two jobs already that I simply wouldn’t have been able to do had I not had the funding, so that’s great.”

Micro businesses, with fewer than 10 employees, and small firms with less than 50 can also access free support beyond the grant through the business advisory teams at the council and the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

North Yorkshire’s economy is heavily slanted towards smaller businesses and there are more than 32,700 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises alongside 90 large businesses in the county.

Council leader and the chair of the SPF Board in North Yorkshire, Cllr Carl Les, said: “We are delighted to open this grant scheme once again after seeing such a positive uptake for the first round.

“Hundreds of small businesses applied for funding and accessed support and we hope to work with even more this year – including sole traders, start-ups, home businesses and social enterprises as well as landlords and people looking to diversify their farm businesses and limited companies.

“This time we have allocated an even larger funding pot to the scheme to enable it to be bigger and better, and have used learning from last year to improve the application process. Our ambition is to see a broad range of applications which seek to make long-lasting improvements to our small and medium businesses across the county.”

To aid businesses with their applications, the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub, with its partners at Enterprise Cube, has organised two webinars on writing a business plan and a cash flow forecast which will take place on 16 and 17 May.

The development manager at the York and North Yorkshire Federation of Small Businesses, Carolyn Frank, said: “This scheme has provided a practical way that the local authorities have been able to work together with us and other partners to unlock Government funding and get it directly to businesses in our area, to help them to innovate and grow.

“It is exciting to see the transformations taking place across so many small businesses thanks to the small business grants and other business support.

“Small businesses are the mainstay of the economy of York and North Yorkshire and seeing flexible local support designed specifically for their needs and with them in mind has been an exciting step forward thanks to UK SPF.”

Scarborough businesses are being urged to help to shape a multi-million pound investment in the town which is aimed at building on the successes of previous major regeneration schemes.

A new public consultation called Let’s Talk Scarborough has been launched this week to seek views on how £20 million of Government funding should be spent over the next decade.

The funding under the Government’s Long-Term Plan for Towns initiative has been provided to enhance safety and security in Scarborough, revive the town’s retail sector, preserve its famous heritage, and improve transportation and connectivity.

The wide-ranging regeneration plan is being led by the Scarborough Town Board and is being supported by us.

Executive member for open to business, Cllr Derek Bastiman said: “We’re at a crucial moment in shaping the future of Scarborough, and the input of residents and businesses in Scarborough is vital.

“With a £20 million grant from the Government’s Long-Term Plan for Towns, we have a unique opportunity to improve Scarborough in ways that reflect our aspirations and address our needs.

“The public’s voice in this consultation will directly influence how we grow and change for the better.”

The regeneration plan for Scarborough is set to build on previous investment in the town, including the Green Construction Skills Village and more than £500,000 in funding that is transforming the town’s cricket ground on North Marine Road.

The green skills village will build on the existing Construction Skills Village that has been operating in Scarborough since 2015.

The Construction Skills Village has trained more than 300 apprentices, worked with over 800 local small and medium-sized enterprises and secured in excess of £3.5 million of funding.

The future of first-class cricket matches in the seaside resort was secured in July last year following the completion of a half-million-pound upgrade to the famous North Marine Road ground.

Scarborough Cricket Club received a £250,000 contribution from the £20 million Towns Deal fund allocated to the coastal town to carry out repairs, improvements and upgrades to its ground.

Further funding was provided from the England and Wales Cricket Board and the club with extra funding from the council bringing the total investment to £509,627.

The £20 million in funding for the Long-Term Plan for Scarborough has been secured after the Government announced in September last year that 55 towns across the UK will benefit from a £1.1 billion investment as part of the national levelling up agenda.

Ministers unveiled the plan to provide long-term investment in towns that have been previously overlooked and often taken for granted.

The new consultation on the latest major investment in Scarborough will run until Monday, 3 June.

The area which is being covered under the Long-Term Plan for Scarborough runs from Eastfield and Cayton to the south of the main town and up to Newby and Scalby in the north.

Scarborough Town Board chairman David Kerfoot said: “This is the public’s chance to make a difference in Scarborough. Their insights will guide the strategic direction and prioritisation of projects, ensuring that our collective effort leads to meaningful, lasting change. This is more than just a one-time consultation – it’s an invitation to be part of a decade-long journey of transformation.

“People’s ongoing involvement will ensure that Scarborough not only thrives today but continues to flourish for future generations.”