A MAIDSTONE firm has been given £45,000 government cash to pursue a ground-breaking business idea.

Meier Pollard, of College Road, Maidstone, is receiving the Smart Award grant from the Department of Trade and Industry's Small Business Service (SBS). Smart awards are aimed at encouraging innovation.

The award to Meier Pollard will fund a feasibility study into a business software solution affordable to small companies. The solution covers three areas - basic business accounting, e-commerce and web content management.

The system will be delivered by an application service provider or a traditional in-house local area network system, and run safely on any desktop personal computer.

Paul Meier, chairman, said: "The Smart feasibility award is very important to us as a small business with unique ideas. Our business solution will provide a top quality, fully comprehensive big style solution at a reasonable cost for all small businesses."