JM reported the Small Grant Scheme continues to perform well. JM reported that six months ago the
programme was behind on spend profile but thanks to the efforts of the Delivery Partners, including BH
and his team, who have done a sterling job in terms of payments, we are now £9k away from our May
target (Claim 14) in terms of spend profile.
Discussion is ongoing with Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to extend
the SGS scheme which currently finishes at the end of August 2021; the request will be an additional year
to run to the end of August 2022, and a further £1m. We are hoping for a positive response as MHCLG
see the programme as a ‘high achieving project’ that is delivering exceptional value for money..
Potentially less than £900k unallocated, which will most probably will have gone by the end of the
financial year.
JM brought to the attention changes to the national guidance as of January 2019. Before Christmas,
DEFRA closed the EAFRD and LEADER programmes affecting land-based rural businesses.
On top of this, MHCLG have restricted the type of businesses that can be supported i.e. restaurants,
pubs, which we have historically been able to support. We, and our partners, are presently challenging
this and awaiting clarification and seeing what kind of pressure can be put on MHCLG to get the decision
over turned .
Action: JM to keep the Panel informed of updates
BH provided update.
Not a huge amount gone out since the last Panel meeting, approx. £50k.
Growing Business Fund - current year GBF allocation is now overspent by £276k. Four or five further
payments could go this month, including Condimentum Limited. If all goes according to plan, could
potentially spend all of the £1m additional allocation, but more likely it will be between £500k and £1m.
With today’s approvals, £2.1m is now committed, but not yet claimed, so will be going into the new
financial year with a high proportion of commitments, and already it seems that next year’s allocation may
need to be increased.
Small Grant Scheme - total spent on SGS is now just over £1.83m (203 grants), with 45 grants
committed, who will claim just over £500k. Just under £900k still available.
Job creation - curiously no further jobs have been confirmed in GBF since the last Panel meeting, so
the total is still 2,114, but with many more to come in due course from incomplete projects. The Small
Grant Scheme (jobs not a requirement) total now stands at 71 so far, up seven from last time.
Updates on approved grants
BH provided updates on the following grants:
Zedbox Limited
Action: Richard Glinn, Growth Hub Adviser, to contact business to help and assist.
Liquid Digestate Limited - never got to full-spend on the project, therefore claim not complete and
aware the company has now diversified into haulage.
Action: BH to visit business to discuss incomplete claim and will report back at the next
Panel meeting.