Issue - meetings

Discretionary Grant Funding

Meeting: 24/05/2021 - Executive (Item 120)

Discretionary Grant Funding

(Paragraph 3)

 

Additional documents:

  • Restricted enclosure 2

Decision:

RESOLVED that;

 

1)    the report be noted and the awards that were made on the basis of the priorities and criteria set out for the original ARG funding be endorsed.

 

2)    the details of the forthcoming Additional Restrictions Grant be noted and the following proposals be endorsed:

 

i)             a new scheme is open, inviting businesses from across the district to apply through a new application process;

ii)            businesses who have been, and continue to be, affected by the Coronavirus pandemic and the roadmap to easing lockdown restrictions are priorities for the Additional Restrictions Grant, including:

·         businesses closely related to visitor economy, hospitality or leisure, or part of their supply chain and ineligible for the mandatory grants

·         start-ups, sole traders and self-employed ineligible for the mandatory grants

·         businesses who do not hold a business rates account

·         businesses who have not received any previous ARG funding and who are still closed under the roadmap for lockdown restrictions

iii)           the following criteria be used to assess the level of grant funding to be awarded from the ARG scheme:

·         level of fixed costs faced by the business

·         no. of FTE employees within the applicant business

·         trading status of the business i.e. whether some trading has continued or a business has had to close completely, and when likely to resume trading

·         any previous grant award through ARG or other discretionary grant scheme

iv)           the level of any future awards will be set at a maximum of £10,000 for a single business with discretion to award a grant of £1,500 / £3,000 / ££5,000 / £7,500 / £10,000 based on an officer assessment using the above criteria.

Minutes:

Executive considered a report of the Deputy Leader which provided an update on the allocation of funding from the first round of Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) and to consider criteria for the allocation of funding from a further allocation of Additional Restriction Grant monies.

 

The report set out information regarding the allocation of the first round of ARG, which had been successful in supporting a number of businesses across the district.  The report also set out the intended criteria for allocating the second top-up of ARG funding.

 

Moved by Councillor Duncan McGregor and seconded by Councillor Sandra Peake

RESOLVED that;

 

1)    the report be noted and the awards that were made on the basis of the priorities and criteria set out for the original ARG funding be endorsed.

 

2)    the details of the forthcoming Additional Restrictions Grant be noted and the following proposals be endorsed:

 

i)             a new scheme is open, inviting businesses from across the district to apply through a new application process;

ii)            businesses who have been, and continue to be, affected by the Coronavirus pandemic and the roadmap to easing lockdown restrictions are priorities for the Additional Restrictions Grant, including:

·         businesses closely related to visitor economy, hospitality or leisure, or part of their supply chain and ineligible for the mandatory grants

·         start-ups, sole traders and self-employed ineligible for the mandatory grants

·         businesses who do not hold a business rates account

·         businesses who have not received any previous ARG funding and who are still closed under the roadmap for lockdown restrictions

iii)           the following criteria be used to assess the level of grant funding to be awarded from the ARG scheme:

·         level of fixed costs faced by the business

·         no. of FTE employees within the applicant business

·         trading status of the business i.e. whether some trading has continued or a business has had to close completely, and when likely to resume trading

·         any previous grant award through ARG or other discretionary grant scheme

iv)           the level of any future awards will be set at a maximum of £10,000 for a single business with discretion to award a grant of £1,500 / £3,000 / ££5,000 / £7,500 / £10,000 based on an officer assessment using the above criteria.

 

(Assistant Director of Development and Planning)

 

REASON FOR DECISION:

The original ARG discretionary grant fund had been successful in supporting 265 businesses across the district.  The top-up award of additional funding presented an opportunity to offer further support to businesses over the coming months as the country eases out of lockdown and restrictions were lifted.

 

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED:

The option to do nothing with the Additional Restrictions Grant could not be countenanced by the Council.  The option to do the same as before was rejected for the reasons set out in the report.

 

(Paragraph 3)