Council provides backing to Create

SOCIAL enterprise Create, which has temporarily closed its Leeds restaurant, has been receiving tens of thousands of pounds of local authority support.

The venture, which offers training and jobs to disadvantaged people, was granted around £85,000 rate relief by Leeds City Council on the King Street restaurant and another premises, the Yorkshire Evening Post reported.

A further £90,000 of funding has been provided by the Council for Create to lay on training and work experience for about 70 people.

Losses of almost £1m have been accumulated by Create in the space of less than 18 months.

Leeds City Council said it is looking to recoup some of the funding because training obligations have not been honoured by the social enterprise because of the restaurant closure.

The Council will pick up 25 per cent of the cost of the relief, with the remainder of the bill being met by central government.