This report sets out the decision to amend the
Additional Restrictions Grant Fund Scheme.
It is the decision of the Chief Executive, in consultation with the
Leader of the Council that an Additional Restrictions Grant Fund
Scheme in respect of 3 priority business types and a hardship fund
for businesses located in the Reading Borough meeting the following
criteria is introduced:
- up to £6,000 per premises for non-essential retail
businesses not in the rating system (as defined – Annex
A)
- up to £18,000 per premises for hospitality, accommodation,
leisure, personal care and gym businesses not in the rating system
(as defined – Annex A)
- £5,000 to support individuals licenced in the Hackney
Carriage and Driving Instructor professions that have not received
support under any grant scheme administered by the Council
- A hardship’ fund for rate-paying and non rate-paying
businesses who have not received support under any grant schemes
administered by the Council and require support due to demonstrable
financial vulnerability. Businesses will where appropriate need to
demonstrate fixed building related costs outside of their
residential property costs and provide significant evidence of
financial vulnerability. In determining these applications, we will
consider the impact that the failure of these businesses would have
on the economic development of the borough and on the business
rates revenue of the Council.
That a tiered payment approach is introduced as follows in respect
of the 3 priority business types:
Non-essential retail businesses not in the rating list which can
demonstrate fixed property costs (outside of normal residential
property costs and staffing costs), aligning with the Restart Grant
Scheme for those properties in the rating system:
- £2,667 with annual rental/mortgage value of £15,000
or under
- £4,000 with annual rental/mortgage value of over
£15,000 and less than £51,000
- £6,000 with annual rental/mortgage value of exactly
£51,000 or above
Non-essential retail businesses not in the rating list which can
demonstrate other fixed costs (outside of normal residential
property costs and staffing costs):
- £1,778 with fixed annual costs of £15,000 or
under
- £2,666 with fixed annual costs of over £15,000 and
less than £51,000
- £4,000 with fixed annual costs of exactly £51,000 or
above
Hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym
businesses not in the rating system which can demonstrate fixed
property costs (outside of normal residential property costs and
staffing costs), aligning with the Restart Grant for those
properties in the rating system:
- £8,000 with annual rental/mortgage value of £15,000
or under
- £12,000 with annual rental/mortgage value over
£15,000 and less than £51,000
- £18,000 with annual rental/mortgage value of exactly
£51,000 or above
Hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym
businesses not in the rating system which can demonstrate other
fixed costs (outside of normal residential property costs and
staffing costs):
- £5,333 with fixed annual costs of £15,000 or
under
- £8,000 with fixed annual costs of over £15,000 and
less than £51,000
- £12,000 with fixed annual costs of exactly £51,000 or
above
Individuals licenced in the Taxi and Driving Instructor professions
that have not received support under any grant scheme administered
by the Council:
£5,000 Self-employed driving instructors resident in the
Borough that can demonstrate fixed costs
£5,000 Self-employed licenced (by Reading) Hackney Carriage
owners that are actively working the rank as at 1st April 2021 that
can demonstrate fixed costs
That the level of individual award from the hardship fund will be
determined on a case-by-case basis upon closure of a 1-week
application window, to enable demand to be established and support
to be awarded to the maximum number of eligible applicants. The
application window may be extended should funding remain
available.
That a 1-week application window will run from 31 May 2021 to 6
June 2021 inclusive.
That the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of
the Council and the Lead Councillor for Corporate and Consumer
Services, review the policy in June 2021. The Council reserves the
right to modify eligibility criteria, and funding thresholds, as a
result.