Supporting New and Existing Small Businesses
The report is at item 10 of the agenda for the Cabinet’s meeting on Tuesday 9 January 2018 (pages 35 to 39).
The Cabinet made the following recommendation to the Council:
That (a) the establishment of the Shop Front Improvement Grant Scheme and Provision of Retail Training for independent retailers as set out in sections 4.2 (as amended) and 4.3 to 4.5 of the agenda report supported by £168,800 allocated from the Pooled Business Rates Fund and £32,000 from reserves be approved and (b) the Head of Commercial Services be authorised to approve shop front improvement grants under the Scheme.
[Note In the recommendation above section 4.2 was amended by the Cabinet by the addition after ‘Selsey’ and before the full stop of ‘, funded from £168,000 and in addition a further £32,000 from reserves for East Wittering local centre.’]
Minutes:
The Council considered the recommendation made to it by the Cabinet at its meeting on Tuesday 9 January 2018, as set out on the face of the Council agenda, the details in respect of which were contained in the Cabinet report (pages 35 to 39).
Mrs Hamilton pointed out that the recommendation stated that section 4.2 of the agenda report had been amended by the Cabinet and the details of the amendment were set out in a note on the Council agenda.
Mr Dignum (Leader of the Cabinet) formally moved the Cabinet’s recommendation and this was seconded by Mrs Lintill (Cabinet Member for Community Services).
Mr Dignum introduced the report. The Cabinet had approved a series of projects to proceed using more than £300,000 made available through the Pooled Business Rates Fund for West Sussex in the form of grants to help small businesses and retailers across Chichester District and to support a scheme which helped people to find work. Two projects had been approved: Enabling Grant and Choose Work. The third project before the Cabinet required the Council’s approval: Shop Front Improvement Grant and Provision of Retail Training. It would make available £168,800 to provide specialist retail training and shop front grants for independent high street retailers in Chichester, Midhurst, Petworth, Selsey and additionally, as agreed by the Cabinet, £32,000 from CDC reserves to be used on extending the scheme to the East Wittering local centre in view of its very significant retail presence of some 70 retail units. The scheme would begin with retail workshops focussing on converting footfall into sales, followed by individual improvement sessions and in-store training to ensure that all commercial opportunities were being identified and to address the significant changes within the retail sector in recent years. After the training, participating retailers would also be able to apply for a grant up to £4,000 towards the cost of refurbishing and improving their shop front. Midhurst and Selsey had set a precedent for what was anticipated to be a very popular scheme.
Decision
On a show of hands members voted in favour of the Cabinet’s recommendation with none against and no abstentions.
The Cabinet’s recommendation was, therefore, carried.
RESOLVED
That (a) the establishment of the Shop Front Improvement Grant Scheme and Provision of Retail Training for independent retailers as set out in sections 4.2 (as amended) and 4.3 to 4.5 of the agenda report supported by £168,800 allocated from the Pooled Business Rates Fund and £32,000 from reserves be approved and (b) the Head of Commercial Services be authorised to approve shop front improvement grants under the Scheme.