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Statement from The Leader of the Council, Councillor Mike Steptoe and Managing Director, Shaun Scrutton - June 4 2020
The bulletin for 4th June 2020 from the Leader of Rochford District Council, Cllr Mike Steptoe, and MD Shaun Scrutton is now available. Please note in particular, the following headings relevant to business:
Rochford District Discretionary Business Grants Scheme
A new discretionary grants scheme is now available for local businesses not previously covered by earlier Government schemes. The Council has been allocated £900,000 in government funding to support specific businesses and charities who have been impacted by COVID-19, but were not eligible for either the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund or the Small Business Grant Fund.
Grants of up to £10,000 are available for local businesses who are urged to apply before the scheme ends at midnight Sunday 14th June, with applicants needing to meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Businesses with ongoing fixed property-related costs
- Businesses which can demonstrate that they have suffered a significant fall in income due to the COVID-19 crisis
- Small or micro- businesses as defined by the Company Act 2006
- Businesses that were trading on 11 March 2020.
- Businesses which occupy property, or part of a property, with a rateable value or annual rent or annual mortgage payments below £51,000.
The following businesses will be prioritised for grants:
- Small businesses in shared offices or other flexible workspaces (examples could include units in industrial parks, science parks and incubators which do not have their own business rates assessment)
- Regular market traders with fixed building costs, such as rent, who do not have their own business rates assessment and who are trading in Rochford District on a weekly basis.
- Bed & Breakfast businesses which pay Council Tax instead of business rates
- Charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief
This grant funding is for businesses that are not eligible for other support schemes, with the exception of the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Businesses which have received cash grants from any other central Government COVID-19 related scheme are ineligible for funding from the Discretionary Grants Fund. Companies that are in administration, are insolvent or where a striking-off notice has been made are not eligible for funding under this scheme.
Grants will be capped at £10,000, with the majority of awards between the levels of £2,000 and £5,000.
To find out if your business might meet the full eligibility requirements visit www.rochford.gov.uk/DiscretionaryGrants.
Update from Government regarding Apprenticeships
Update from Government regarding Agriculture
Helping businesses to recover and thrive
BEST Growth Hub are hosting a series of webinars to support retail businesses beginning to reopen and recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. These are as follows:
Webinar 1: ‘Helping Businesses to Recover & Thrive’ – 9th June, 18:00-19:00
This webinar covers a number of essential topics, including ensuring businesses are safe for customers and employees, operating safely, applying social distancing measures and looking at what will drive sales going forward. Key for
businesses at this time will be demonstrating (and communicating) to customers that they are safe, have the goods customers want to buy and that they are open and ready to serve them.
Webinar 2 ‘Reviewing a business and creating the future trading plan’ – 11th June, 18:00- 19:00
This will help businesses to look closely at the key drivers for their particular business, customer behaviour, visit frequency, average spends and key product lines. The aim is to help the businesses identify and secure improved future
performance, and to help the businesses trade sustainably, e.g. priority core products going forward, key promotional messages, optimum use of selling space, maximizing the effectiveness of windows and maintaining customer contact.
Webinar 3 ‘Growing the business in the new normal’ – 18th & 23rd June 18:00-19:00
This will look at sustainable trading, potential additional improvements needed and the need adapt and evolve. It also looks in more detail how businesses can work more effectively with neighbours and place managers to collectively
improve performance and customer service (webinar link is not yet available, but will be added to the link below in the coming days).
Please note all webinars will be recorded and available to view again. Please email: info@bestgrowthhub.org.uk for details.
The new and challenging world we are operating in has obviously had a huge impact on employers, employees and businesses across the UK and the rest of the world.
Rochford District Council in partnership with South Essex education providers, are conducting some brief research to enable us to develop appropriate training and support opportunities for adults across South Essex. If you are over 19 and looking at your future - whether that is upskilling, reskilling or retraining, please take a few minutes to complete this online questionnaire. Your views will really make a difference!
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