Burnley Council to receive almost £1m extra funding to deal with Covid-19

The additional funding is to help alleviate financial pressure on the council as a result of residents staying at home, rather than using services including car parks and leisure facilities.

Burnley MP Antony Higginbotham said: "After speaking with colleagues in Parliament about the impact coronavirus is having on council finances, and the work being done locally to support people across our borough, confirmation of this additional funding is very welcome.

"This will allow the council to continue providing the front-line services we all rely on, whilst also protecting our most vulnerable."

Charlie Briggs, leader of the council also welcomed the news, said: “As a council we are doing all we can to help all those affected by the coronavirus and I am happy to see the government has provided this much needed support.

"Now is not a time for party politics, it’s about helping the people of Burnley and that’s what I’m focused on."

The extra £957,185 received since the start of the crisis will be used to assist the council in its work to help get rough sleepers off the streets, support clinically vulnerable people and provide assistance for our public health workforce and is part of a comprehensive package that also includes allowing councils to defer £2.6 billion in business rates payments to central government.

The funding also comes on top of the direct support being provided by government to those shielding, including the delivery of food packages.