Decision details

Councillor Eamonn O’Brien the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance and Growth, advised of the proactive work the Council was undertaking, following the Government’s announcement of the third National lockdown, to bring forward a package of support to go to critical businesses in the first quarter of the new-year. This paper sought approval to bring forward a major package of support to key strategic businesses and employers.

The Leader advised that Bury’s strategic approach had changed in line with a changing national picture. Rather than using the discretionary grants over the next 12 months to support businesses in the economy move towards recovering and reopening, with a new national lock-down the prioritisation of distribution of grants over the next few months was proposed to help companies at threat of closure of severe retraction because of the lockdown measures.

Three new groups of target beneficiaries were proposed for the ‘Bury Business Grants Programme’:

1.   Key strategic businesses who if they were to close would harm the Borough’s economic capacity.

2.   Key employment generators. Companies who support the employment base of the Borough.

3.   Micro businesses who have not previously benefitted from support programmes.

It was noted that the additional funding would be £1.69m, bringing the total grant monies to £5.8m. The focus on micro businesses would enable greater support for taxi drivers, something previous government policy precluded, and homeworkers, although it was noted not all would be eligible. For applications with clear merit but which did not meet the eligibility criteria, Councillor O’Brien advised that these would be considered by a special advisory group of officers. Members praised officers for their work, noting that the processes needed to be correct to enable effective support to businesses, as demonstrated by the previous problems across Greater Manchester in distributing grants.

Decision:

That a major package of support to key strategic businesses and employers be brought forward.

Reasons for the decision:

The restrictions imposed from the third national lockdown have impacted further on our businesses. In response to this, the Chancellor announced in January that top-up funding to the Additional Restrictions Grant will be made available and there is considerable pressure from Government to distribute the Additional Restrictions Grant at speed. The proposed package of support to go to critical businesses in the first quarter of the new-year would hopefully enable key strategic businesses and employers to survive to a point where the economy can begin to reopen.

Other options considered and rejected:

None.