Business Grant Schemes Assurance Report - Small Business Grant Fund, Retail Hospitality, Leisure Grant Fund and Discretionary Grant Fund
Minutes:
The Head of Corporate Governance reported on the assurance data provided by the Council to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on the administration of the Small Business Grant Fund, the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund, and the Discretionary Grant Fund (DGF) regimes. These grant funds allowed payments to be made to eligible businesses and had been introduced by Government to provide emergency support due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In considering and seeking clarification as to ongoing action being taken by the Council in respect of Business and other grants, the Committee queried the actions being taken to mitigate fraud and what the implications might be for businesses in respect of recent court rulings concerning insurance, and were further asked to note the complexity caused by the number of grant schemes established to support businesses during the pandemic.
RESOLVED that the report be noted.