UP to nine projects to bring empty shops or stalled development sites into use could be supported through a new grant fund.

The schemes are still being considered by council officers and final decisions on whether to provide funding are due to be made in the coming weeks after senior councillors gave the go-ahead for the spending under a UK Government supported programme.

Monmouthshire County Council received 62 applications for its GrowthSpace grants which are funded by the Local Growth Fund but deputy leader Paul Griffiths said many were outside the remit of the scheme now administered through the Welsh Government.

Councillor Griffiths said the fund, which has replaced the previous UK Conservative government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, no longer has a “community” element and is only focused on economic growth.

The Labour councillor said around half the applications, after initial appraisal, were found to be ineligible as they weren’t focused on economic growth and others were directed to funding available under a council scheme to support town centres backed by the Welsh Government.

Labour cabinet member Sarah Burch said it was “great to hear funding is being provided to help businesses set up in empty buildings” but said it would be “better if the funding was longer term” with funds having to be spent this financial year.

Conservative opposition leader Cllr Richard John said the awards are being made with only around six months to go before the end of the financial year.

Cllr Griffiths said final details on the scheme were only published by the Welsh Government in July and it was due to the tight timescale the Labour and Green Party cabinet was being asked to agree the council’s economy director could make the grant awards in consultation with himself.

The cabinet agreed to the delegated decision making process which is subject to the council ‘s usual financial and legal requirements.