Businesses in Grantham are being offered access to a business hub at the town’s library with flexible and confidential workspaces with modern technology.

Barnsley Council has announced a proposed £5 million support package to help businesses in the borough, offering financial relief and safeguarding jobs. The initiative, funded through surplus business rates collected nationally and locally, was introduced as part of the council’s budget plans.

The scheme includes 100% business rate relief for eligible retail, leisure, and hospitality businesses operating in Barnsley at its launch. Additional funding will be available for companies not qualifying for rate relief, with access tied to engagement with council business support services.

The package will take effect on 1 April 2025 and run until 31 March 2026. Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce welcomed the move, highlighting the pressures businesses face from rising costs and reduced support. The council aims to strengthen the local economy and maintain the vitality of town centres, positioning Barnsley as an attractive place for investment.

Howdens is set to return £100 million to shareholders through a new share buyback programme, reinforcing confidence in its financial strength despite ongoing pressures in the UK kitchen market.

The company reported steady results for 2023, with revenue rising slightly by 0.5% to £2.32 billion and pre-tax profit edging up 0.2% to £328 million. While market conditions remain tough, Howdens has focused on cost efficiencies and strategic investments to maintain stability.

Last year, the business expanded its footprint with 29 new depots and modernised 76 existing locations across the UK. It also introduced 11 new kitchen ranges, enhanced its digital infrastructure, and upgraded manufacturing and supply chain operations to support its trade customers.

North Lincolnshire Council wants the Government to designate an AI Growth Zone in Northern Lincolnshire, with the prospect of nearly 10,000 new construction jobs, 1,200 new jobs on site and a further 4,000 industrial jobs safeguarded through supply chain opportunities. The AI Growth Zone could mean £15bn in private business investment and 1.5 gigawatts of AI processing capacity coming to Northern Lincolnshire, helping to boost industries in the region and across the UK. The area is uniquely positioned to attract this opportunity thanks to its industrial base, skilled workforce and the fact it generates 20% of the UK’s total electricity, including 27% of its offshore wind. Four major sites are in the early stage of development and one £3bn scheme – Humber Tech Park – has already been approved. Humber Tech Park, the UK’s first dedicated AI training data centre, will be built on land near the A180 to the south of South Killingholme and create around 400 jobs. A second site is on unused land at British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant. Thousands of green jobs will be created as the council continues to work with British Steel to deliver new investment on surplus land on the 300-acre site. The Northern Lincolnshire Artificial Intelligence Growth Zone will also commit to signing up to and adopting the UK Steel charter, further embedding UK produced steel in high-profile infrastructure projects alongside the recent Heathrow commitment. This will support the safeguarding of steel making in the UK and high-value jobs in the North Lincolnshire region. The other two sites are in early development and will be revealed later this year. North Lincolnshire Council is partnering with Greystoke, the specialist planning business for high-tech infrastructure, on the AI Growth Zone. Cllr Rob Waltham, leader, North Lincolnshire Council, said: “There is a huge opportunity to create thousands of better paid jobs here in North Lincolnshire, attracting innovative technology companies who will provide a positive future for local residents and their families. “I am really keen to create opportunities for young people with these new jobs. All too often they leave our area for big cities, with this investment there is scope for them to stay locally with their families and help us to build a strong and growing economy for tech businesses on our doorstep. “We already have a track record of delivering these investments following the permission of ‘The Humber Tech Park’. This is an unprecedented investment in our area, and it will be a magnet for attracting other high-tech businesses to make North Lincolnshire their home. “We want to make the most of this and sites have been secured for these fantastic developments, including on land at British Steel in Scunthorpe. “We are determined to take advantage of the green and high-tech opportunities globally while harnessing our engineering skills and capabilities locally into the future.” Sam Matthew, chief operating officer of Greystoke and director of Humber Tech Park, said: “Northern Lincolnshire AI Growth Zone will supercharge the UK’s AI capability and can be rolled out rapidly and at great scale. “Delivering more than 1.5 gigawatts of AI processing capacity, it will create exciting new opportunities for national and regional industries. North Lincolnshire’s substantial energy infrastructure, and extensive skills base make it the ideal location for an AI Growth Zone.”