Agenda item

1.

Question from Mr G. Li to the Cabinet Member Finance, Councillor Rowena Hay

I run a small business based at St Paul's medical centre, and missed my local government discretionary grant application window. What kind of help or redemption can you provide me with?

Response from Cabinet Member

This Council received funding of £1,128,000 to design a discretionary grant scheme to support local businesses. The scheme was designed jointly with Gloucester, Stroud and Tewkesbury councils.

Like other Councils we anticipated demand would be high and would exceed the limited funding available.  The scheme was therefore open for applications for a limited period between 9th and 21st June 2020. 

Unlike the earlier grant scheme the discretionary grants were aimed at businesses that are not business ratepayers. As we didn’t have details of these businesses and where they are we weren’t able to contact them directly so publicity was done via press releases, social media, the BID, LEP, MPs office and the Chamber of Commerce.

Cabinet agreed on 9th June that it may be possible to open another application window if any funding remained once all applications had been assessed and grants awarded. This won’t be possible as the funding has now been allocated

I wish we had the funding available to help Mr Li and the many other businesses that still need help but unless the Government give us additional funding we are not able to consider any more applications. 

Supplementary question from Mr G. Li

There is £4.4m joint funding across Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud and Tewkesbury. By 26th of June, according to Gloucestershire County Council’s website, £3.4m had been allocated to 304 businesses across the four councils. Tewkesbury has £200,000 left and started 2nd round grant application on 6th of July.

Yesterday, Cheltenham Borough Council informed me that at this stage, there are no funds left. But in the meantime, they can't disclose information relating to how many businesses applied and how much funding is left because there is fraudulent application occurring. In the future if they have any fund left, can they please consider our application?

Response from Cabinet Member

The £4.4m figure refers to the total amount available for all authorities in the county, with Cheltenham’s own fund being £1,128,000. Although individual details of grant payments cannot be disclosed, a total of £1,105,000 has been allocated to 95 businesses in Cheltenham so far. A further £23,000 remains, but some applications which came in on time are still being assessed. Due to the limited funds available, it is highly unlikely that any funding will remain after the outstanding applications have been reviewed. If additional funding is forthcoming from the government in the future, you will be able to apply for assistance.

1.

Question from Councillor Bernard Fisher to the Leader of the Council, Steve Jordan

Recent ‘visits’ by Travellers breaking into Swindon Village Playing Fields, threats being made to residents, court action, bailiffs, low loaders and clean-up of the site, have cost the Council a great deal of money. 

Would you look at the following solution? That boulders be placed around the grassed area to enable access on foot, but not for caravans. Local residents and visitors could use the car park and have access to the open space, but caravans would not be able to be sited on the fields.

While this would require a relatively small investment, the resulting saving in bailiffs, court action, police presence, officer time and clean-up would be saved many times over.

Response from Cabinet Member

The car park already has a robust low level metal rail around its outer edges, and a locked gate onto the grass for Ubico vehicles. In addition to this the car park entrance off the highway has a height restriction barrier with boulders placed either side. Any further placing of boulders will have the effect of restricting access to the site by Ubico maintenance vehicles, and also emergency vehicles such as ambulances that may need access to the pitches from time to time. Following the last traveller occupation of the playing field, officers have installed more secure locks, as it appears they had been able to remove the previous ones despite there being a steel shroud welded around one of them.