Issue - meetings

Report of Director of Finance

Purpose of report

This report is to provide the Committee with an update on the total amount of grants paid out to businesses in Cherwell to support them during the pandemic up to 31 December 2021. 

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.       To note the number and value of Covid-19 Business Grants paid out by Cherwell District Council to local businesses during the course of the pandemic to 31 December 2021.

Resolved

(1)      That the number and value of Covid-19 Business Grants paid out by Cherwell District Council to local businesses during the course of the pandemic to 31 December 2021 be noted.

The Director of Finance submitted a report which provided the Committee with an update on the total amount of grants paid out to businesses in Cherwell to support them during the pandemic up to 31 December 2021. 

In response to Members’ comments regarding  the amount of money written off by the government for loans given out during the pandemic and request for information on efforts made prior to the monies being written off into recovery of the loans given out within the Cherwell district, the Assistant Director of Finance explained that these were grants allocated to businesses and the loan monies written off were a separate matter.  The Council had been given access to a government system and it was necessary for checks on businesses applying for grants to be made through this system or they could not be reclaimed. All necessary checks to prevent fraud were in place.

In response to questions from the Committee the Assistant Director of Finance explained that information on court action and fraud recovery would be circulated to Committee Members outside of the Committee.

Resolved

(1)      That the number and value of Covid-19 Business Grants paid out by Cherwell District Council to local businesses during the course of the pandemic to 31 December 2021 be noted.