Decision details

COVID-19: Top-up to local business grants fund scheme - Leeds City Council discretionary fund to accommodate certain small businesses previously outside the scope of the business grant funds scheme

Reference: D50935

Decision Maker: Director of City Development

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

Whilst Leeds City Council must follow government guidelines in the design and implementation of the discretionary scheme the detail will be determined locally.

 

The scheme will amount to 5% of the total value of grants paid out by Leeds City Council as part of the original COVID-19 business grant funds scheme which was nationally defined. At the 11 May that would amount to £7 m for Leeds City Council to distribute.

 

The decision will be to approve the scope of the discretionary scheme as designed for Leeds City Council.

Decision:

The Director of City Development:

 

a)  Noted the contents of this report and the advice contained within it.

b)  Approved the proposed Leeds COVID-19 Discretionary Grant Scheme and delegated the approval to award individual grants to officers with delegated authority under City Development’s existing Sub delegation scheme.

c)  Agreed that the decision should be exempt from call-in due to the reasons outlined in paragraph 4.5.8.

Reason Key: Financial Impact>£500K;

Wards Affected: (All Wards);

If the decision has not been published in the List of Forthcoming Key Decisions for at least 28 clear days, the reason why it would be impracticable to delay the decision:: Given that the Government has asked local authorities to make grant payments as quickly as possible to support struggling businesses, it would be impractical to defer the decisions sought until they have been included in the List of Forthcoming Key Decisions for 28 clear days. In the circumstances, and in accordance with the Council’s special urgency procedure, the chair of the Infrastructure, Investment and Inclusive Growth Scrutiny Board has been consulted and has agreed that the decisions are urgent and cannot be reasonably deferred.

If exempt from Call-In, the reason why Call-In would prejudice the interests of the Council or the public:: It is proposed that the decisions sought by this report should be declared as being exempt from Call In on the basis that they are urgent and that any delay in implementing them would seriously prejudice both the Council’s and the public’s interests. If the decisions sought were delayed this would in turn delay the payments of grants to businesses who are struggling due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The decisions sought could not have been made earlier due to the need to design a scheme in accordance with Government guidance which was issued on 13 May.

Other reasons / organisations consulted

Briefings

Consultees

Leader of the Council

Chair of Infrastructure, Investment & Inclusive Growth Scrutiny Board

Chief Officer Financial Services

 

Contact: Phil Cole, Head Of Business Support 0113 378 7872 Email: phil.cole@leeds.gov.uk.

Publication date: 29/05/2020

Date of decision: 29/05/2020

Accompanying Documents: