Agenda item

Business Support Grants funded via Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG)

 

Report of the Strategic Director of Finance and Customer Services

 

Recommendations:-

 

1.           That Cabinet note the progress to date on the administration of the Local Restrictions Support Grants (LRSG’s).

 

2.           That Cabinet note the progress to date on utilising the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG).

 

3.           That Cabinet approve the Councils proposed discretionary business support grant, total funding of £664k.

 

4.           That Cabinet delegate to the Strategic Director Finance and Customer Services in consultation with the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services, the application of any surplus grant to top up the grant values paid to eligible small businesses.

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report which detailed the progress made on delivering the Local Restrictions Support Grants (LRSG’s) and how the discretionary Additional Resources Grant (ARG) was being used to support businesses within Rotherham.  The second phase of the support grant would be used to support licensed taxi drivers within South Yorkshire with a fixed one-off payment.  £6Million had been allocated to support supply chain businesses who were forced to close due to national lockdown or those within the hospitality, accommodation and leisure sectors that were restricted in Tier 2 and 3. 

 

The grant also allows for a discretionary scheme to be available to businesses suffering from a loss of trade and that had been unable to access any of the existing Business Grant Schemes. These were expected to be primarily small and microenterprises, including businesses registered too recently to qualify for Central Government support.

 

The Scheme would be promoted on the Council’s website and would be inviting businesses to submit an online application.  The application form had been designed in an accessible way to enable businesses to submit one application that would be considered against any of the available Business Grants.  Applications would be accepted until 31st January, 2021, however, resources would be allocated on a first come first served basis.  If resources remained available after that time the Strategic Director for Finance and Customer Services, in consultation with the Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services, would have delegated authority to process top up payments in order to utilise the resource.

 

The Head of Corporate Finance explained that the Business Support Grants were detailed on the Council’s website along with the application form.   Where possible, automatic payments had been made utilising information from previous grant applications which would limit the number of businesses who needed to apply for funding.

 

The Leader and Cabinet Members welcomed the proposals and that support for very small businesses and sole traders was being made available.  The simplified application process was commended.

 

This report had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board as part of the pre-scrutiny process who were in support of the recommendations.

 

Resolved: That Cabinet:

1.    Noted the progress to date on the administration of the Local Restrictions Support Grants (LRSG’s).

2.    Noted the progress to date on utilising the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG).

3.    Approved the Council’s proposed discretionary Business Support Grant, total funding of £664k.

4.     Delegated to the Strategic Director Finance and Customer Services in consultation with the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services, the application of any surplus grant to top up the grant values paid to eligible small businesses.

Supporting documents: