Decision details

Purpose of report: To consider the allocation of Additional Restrictions Grant funding from Government

The Executive Member will be asked to consider the proposals for utilising £4,212,360 of discretionary Additional Resources Grant for the current lockdown, any future lockdowns, and any period in which York enters Tier 3.

It has not been possible to give 28 clear days’ notice this decision, as the council needs to make a decision urgently to quickly implement the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) scheme in order to ensure funding is delivered as soon as possible to those businesses in York that need it.

Resolved:

(i)           That the Chief Operating Officer be recommended to make an emergency decision to:

·        Implement a discretionary grants scheme providing support to the businesses outlined and at the levels indicated in paragraphs 19 and 20 to run until March 2022.

·        Instruct the Head of Economic Growth to develop more detailed proposals for a business support voucher scheme for consideration at a subsequent Executive Member Decision Session

·        Allocate a preliminary budget of £200k to fund future reopening events

·        Keep the allocations under review as the pandemic progresses, bring update reports back to Executive Member Decision Sessions should the budget need to be adapted.

(ii)         That should any element of this scheme be changed by subsequent government, delegation for the decision under this scheme be given to the Chief Finance Officer (s151) in consultation with the Executive Member Finance and Performance/Executive Member Economy & Strategic Planning, with changes approved retrospectively in public at the next available Executive Member decision session.

Reason:     To support to York businesses which are affected by the Lockdown and Tier 3 restrictions but not eligible for Local Restrictions Grant (Closed) funding.