THE Bulawayo City Council has given the city’s businesses a lifeline by slashing bills by 50 percent in a move aimed at stemming company closures. Most businesses have been struggling to pay bills due to cash flow problems threatening their viability. According to the latest council minutes, so far four Bulawayo companies have benefited from the exercise after engaging council. Another one, TV Sales and Home Warehousing also approached council, but it was not immediately clear if BCC had slashed its bill. The city’s financial services director Mr Kimpton Ndimande reported that the slashing of the bills is in line with resolutions made at a special meeting held on November 23 last year. “The resolution, particularly resolution 5, mentioned that organisations, companies and individuals be permitted to submit their applications for the 50 percent discount incentives and turnaround strategies for consideration by council. “The consideration is based on terms of criteria discussed in the report. So far, four businesses submitted their applications and council approved them,” read the council minutes. Alliance Media, Owen Fromburg (Pvt) Ltd, Toolmaking and Engineering as well as Supreme Meat Market are the businesses that have benefited from the scheme. -Chronicle