Issue details

Omicron Business Grants

As a result of the Omicron variant and resulting restrictions, the Government has released a further allocation of Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) funding to Local Authorities to enable them to provide direct grants to businesses that have suffered from a loss of trade.

 

Urgent approval is required to enable the immediate delivery of grants to support eligible businesses who have experienced a loss of income over the recent period.

 

 

Decision type: Key

Reason Key: Expenditure/savings > £500,000;

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Notice of proposed decision first published: 14/01/2022

This decision will be taken under urgency procedures.

Reason for urgency:

1) The grants are being made available to businesses that are suffering from a loss of trade and income as a result of the Omicron variant and restrictions. It is critical to ensure that financial support to businesses is provided as quickly as possible to assist their survival and encourage employee retention which in turn protects the wider Sheffield economy.

2) The ARG guidance requires all ARG funding to be defrayed by 31st March 2022. To meet this deadline all applications need to be submitted no later than the end of February 2022 in order to be verified and paid. In order to give businesses the maximum opportunity to access support it is critical to launch the scheme as soon as possible.

Scrutiny Committee: Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee;

Decision due: 13 Jan 2022 by Leader of the Council

Lead director: Executive Director, Resources

Department: Place

Contact: Ben Morley Email: ben.morley@sheffield.gov.uk Tel: 0114 2232389.

Decisions