BUSINESSES in York are being reminded of their eligibility to apply for funding from a multi-million pound pot as an ice-cream maker expands its operation after securing £30,000.

Throughout York Business Week, businesses in the city are being encouraged to find out how they could tap into more than £31million funding from the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to grow, develop new products, enter new markets, train their workforce and create jobs.

For businesses interested in developing their workforce, the LEP’s growth manager for York, Jo Burgess, will be answering questions on a panel at the Make It York “Next Generation Workforce” seminar today.

Nine businesses in York have already benefitted from the Leeds City Region LEP’S business grants programme, offering the potential to create 22 new jobs and unlock more than £1.2 million private sector investment in the local economy.

Alongside this business growth funding, nearly 70 businesses in North Yorkshire have been successful in securing LEP skills funding worth £260,000, accelerating vital training programmes.

York business owner Lesley Buxton and husband Ian successfully secured a grant of £30,000 to expand their growing business, Yorvale, a manufacturer of ice cream at Acaster Malbis.

The company had plans to grow the production operations and contacted the LEP to see what support was available. The company used the grant to part fund the conversion of a former farm building into a cold store, enabling Yorvale to expand its production facilities, save water and employ three new members of staff.

Mrs Buxton said: "We needed to make this investment to help grow the business further within the foodservice sector, and expand into new markets. Following support from the LEP, we recently employed a commercial manager to support our business expansion and we are excited about further growth in the future."

Roger Marsh, chairman of the LEP, said: "We are delighted to have been able to assist companies in York and North Yorkshire in their strategic investments.

"We have already supported more than 450 businesses from across the Leeds City Region with capital investment and more than 200 business with skills funding.

"This is a unique opportunity to secure funding for both business growth and staff training and development and I would urge more York businesses to take advantage of this opportunity while the funding is available.”

Charles Storr, economy and enterprise manager at Make It York, said: "I’m delighted to see York businesses taking advantage of the available funding and we at Make It York are working ‘hand in glove’ with the LEP to spread the word and work with local York businesses."