COMPANIES setting up in Runcorn and Widnes will continue to benefit from EU grants after Halton learned that it was in line to maintain its underprivileged status.
The Government announced England's new map of assisted areas on Thursday and Halton retained its Tier Two status.
This means that businesses coming here can avail of grants from the European Union, up to a total of 20 per cent of any planned investment.
The EU must ratify the Government's selections, which are treated as recommendations. The European Commission reserves the right to alter submitted maps and discussions between itself and the Government will now start.
The next challenge for this area is to maintain its Objective Two status for European aid - a decision that currently hangs in the balance after the Office for National Statistics decided to lump Halton into a travel-to-work area with Warrington.
This would effectively lead to the disguising of Halton's problems under the cloak of Warrington's relative affluence.
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