Council to pay bills sooner to help supply firms

Dec 11 2008 by Neil Atkinson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

COUNCIL bosses are to settle their bills far quicker to help struggling firms.

The move, agreed last night by Kirklees Council, will see hard-pressed businesses getting their payments within two weeks rather than a month.

Kirklees Council leader Clr Robert Light said last night that payments would be rushed through to help local firms.

The move will help firms who provide services such as snow clearing and supplying food for school meals.

Clr Light said: “The council pays 90% of its bills within 30 days but we’re going to move that forward so that we pay the majority of our bills within 14 days.

“Cashflow problems are killing local businesses at the moment. We want to start a chain reaction. The quicker we pay our bills to business, the quicker they can pay their bills.”

Clr Light added that Kirklees was trying to involve other councils in West Yorkshire.