A DEDICATED service has been set up to help east Cheshire businesses access finance to boost their growth.

Cheshire East Council's arms-length Skills and Growth Company has set up Access2Finance in response to the findings of the latest Cheshire business survey.

The council-commissioned survey found that 28 per cent of businesses felt that not accessing finance was a barrier to their growth.

Nearly 40 per cent of them claimed that cash flow problems were also hampering their expansion plans.

Cllr George Hayes, chairman of the Skills and Growth Company, said: "The Access2Finance service will provide a much-needed, impartial and personalised approach to ensuring businesses can source the right investment, at the right time, in order to fund their growth aspirations."

Access2Finance is a bespoke service to ensure businesses are ‘investment ready’ and will help businesses navigate the many types of finance available, including grants, loans and equity finance, to help select the right funding for their business.

This could include alternative finance such as the government-backed Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, which was set up to provide more than £400m of investment to businesses.

To access the service email business@skillsandgrowth.co.uk or call 0300 123 5001.

The full Cheshire business survey results are available online at skillsandgrowth.co.uk/about-us/publications