MORE than 200 businesses and other groups have shared in a £660,000 cash boost thanks to Bury Council.

Town hall bosses are leading a campaign to get more firms to sign up to faster broadband speeds.

Broadband helps companies do business online and faster connections help them do more trade.

At a Full Council meeting on September 14, Cllr Susan Southworth asked how the local authority’s efforts are helping local firms.

The council’s support services representative Cllr Sandra Walmsley replied: “The council has invested in a scheme to bring connection grants to Bury.

“This grant is aimed at small businesses, charities and social enterprises to enable them to cover the infrastructure costs to upgrade to faster broadband connections.

“Between April 1 and September 27, 220 vouchers have been issued to eligible Bury businesses.

“That equates to £660,000 investment locally, from an initial contribution of £6,000 from Bury Council to cover the cost of administering the scheme.”

Cllr Walmsley added that the council had invested in introducing fibre broadband to the borough through the Greater Manchester Get Digital Faster programme.

This is a £15 million scheme to which Bury Council contributed funding to alongside seven other local councils. Between them, the eight authorities contributed £2.5 million.

Cllr Walmsley added: “This programme brings faster broadband speeds to those areas that fall outside of a commercial rollout programme.

“Our investment has resulted in faster broadband speeds being available to 99 per cent of premises across the borough.

“Bury’s take-up rates are one of the highest across Greater Manchester.

“To maximise our investment, it is crucial that we ensure as many of our businesses and residents are aware that they can ask for access to faster speeds.”

Digital Economy Minister Ed Vaizey said: “We are transforming the landscape of the UK and our nationwide rollout of superfast broadband has now reached and additional three million homes and businesses.

“I congratulate Get Digital Faster on reaching this milestone in Greater Manchester – they’re making incredible progress.”