Agenda item

To update the Panel on the roll out of Government COVID-19 business grants being administered by the Council and to seek the Panel’s views on the future priorities for the discretionary Additional Restrictions Grant scheme.

Contact:
Chris Duffill , Head of Service, Business and Skills

The Panel considered a report giving an update on the roll out of Government Covid-19 business grants being administered by the council and to seek the panel’s views on the future priorities for the discretionary Additional Restrictions Grant Scheme, which was presented by Chris Duffill, Head of Service, Business and Skills.

Chris Duffill highlighted the following key areas: -

·       Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG) (Closed) – this applied to all businesses mandated to close by Government and who are registered to pay business rates and has been in operation during the November lockdown;

·       LRSG (Sector) – this grant scheme was specifically to cover nightclubs and sexual entertainment venues that Government required to close in March and had not re-opened;

·       LRSG (Open) this scheme provided grants to hospitality, accommodation and leisure businesses who were significantly impacted by local and then Tier 2 restrictions in place from 5^th August – 5^th November 2020 and subsequently for businesses that were impacted but remained open during the period Kirklees was in tier 3;

·       Christmas support payment for wet-led pubs – this was a one-off payment for pubs that predominantly serve alcohol rather than provide food and were severely impacted by Covid-19 restrictions, with eligible businesses receiving a grant of £1,000;

·       Additional Restrictions Grant (ASG) – this was a discretionary grant scheme that was approved by Cabinet in November 2020 and aims to address gaps in the above schemes, including non-rate paying businesses required to close, businesses forming part of the retail, hospitality and leisure supply chains that are severely impacted by the virus and self-employed residents or other home-based businesses that have not been able to secure Government financial support.

In response to a question from the Panel regarding fairground workers, Chris Duffill advised that they were supported in the last lockdown from the discretionary grant scheme and  would be able to receive support again under the discretionary grant scheme.

In response to a question from the Panel regarding Demolition Contractors with business rates over the threshold, Chris Duffil advised that there was an upper rate threshold which had been put into place during the first lockdown in March 2020, but this was not in place for the January 2021 lockdown.

In response to a question from the Panel regarding companies with changes in their company status, Chris Duffil advised that it was dependent on who the liable party was and confirmed that his team was working to ensure that businesses could apply for the grant and secure funding.

During discussion of the grants the Panel noted that the complexity of the various forms caused concern and more difficult applications took longer to deal with. The Panel also noted that there was a backlog of claims and that the team were currently working to a three-week turnaround.

Chris Duffill advised that one report for all claims was in the process of being prepared and that there were Facts and Questions available to view on the council’s website to support claimants.

RESOLVED –

1.    The Panel noted the update on Additional Restriction Grants and thanked Chris Duffill for his contributions.

2.    The Panel agreed that a focus was required for the self-employed creative industry.

3.    That engagement with businesses to provide an understanding on who could apply was required.

4.    That communication with applicants throughout the claim process should be improved.