A council has had to borrow £7 million for two weeks to help ease cashflow issues. Trafford Council confirmed it had to source the funds as a routine borrowing exercise and highlighted that it was not as a direct result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The sum, with an interest rate of 2.5 per cent, was taken out on Wednesday March 25 2020 and will have to be fully repayed with interest on Wednesday April 8 2020.
It is understood the cost of the borrowing will be met from within the authority's existing budget. The council explained this is "routine" borrowing which forms a part of their treasury management strategy.
In total, on April 8, the council will have to pay back £7,175,000 including interest. As part of its borrowing and lending strategy