Issue - meetings

Having successfully distributed its initial £3.817m Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) allocation ahead of the 31 July 20201 deadline, on 16 July 2021 the Borough Council received an additional £1.054m of ARG funding from Central Government to use to support local businesses as the economy moves towards a period of recovery. This report sets out an amended policy to support businesses in key sectors through a new grant scheme.

(Report of Chief Executive)

Following the successful distribution of its initial Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) allocation ahead of the 31 July 2021 deadline, the Borough Council received an additional £1.054 million of ARG funding from Government to use to support local businesses as the economy moved towards a period of recovery.

An amended policy (attached at Annex 1) was presented for consideration and aimed to establish a focus on supporting those in the entertainment, leisure, activity, travel and tourism, events businesses and wraparound care sector by providing a small additional grant to businesses that had previously applied to rounds 1 and 2 of the ARG (Discretionary) Restart Grant or the Mandatory Restart Grant.

Following consideration by the Economic Regeneration Advisory Board, the Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration resolved that:

(1)             the report be noted;

(2)             the proposed amended Additional Restrictions Grant Policy, set out at Annex 1, be agreed; and

(3)             the timescale for applications be opened as soon as possible (late September 2021)

(Decision Notice D210085MEM)

Following the successful distribution of its initial Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) allocation ahead of the 31 July 2021 deadline, the Borough Council received an additional £1.054 million of ARG funding from Government to use to support local businesses as the economy moved towards a period of recovery.

An amended policy (attached at Annex 1) was presented for consideration and aimed to establish a focus on supporting those in the entertainment, leisure, activity, travel and tourism, events businesses and wraparound care sector by providing a small additional grant to businesses that had previously applied to rounds 1 and 2 of the ARG (Discretionary) Restart Grant or the Mandatory Restart Grant.

RECOMMENDED: That

(1)            the report be noted;

(2)            the proposed amended Additional Restrictions Grant Policy, set out at Annex 1, be agreed; and

(3)            the timescale for applications be opened as soon as possible (late September 2021)