Issue - meetings

Purpose

(1)  To advise members of the urgent SO 58 decision taken by all Group Leaders to approve the Local Restrictions Support (Open) (LRSG) and Additional Restrictions (ARG) Grant Fund Schemes for Portsmouth City Council on 22 December 2020 in order to approve both discretionary schemes.

(2)  To provide an update on the progress of both schemes and further grant support that has since become available as set out in paragraph 5 of this report.

RECOMMENDED

The Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Economic Development notes that the Group Leaders approved the following at the SO58 meeting on 22 December 2020:

(i) The LRSG (Open) scheme as attached in appendix 1.

(ii) The Additional Restrictions Grant Fund scheme attached in appendix 2.

(iii) The award of grants is delegated to the Director of Finance together with the Director of Regeneration or their representatives in accordance with the schemes attached at appendix 1.

The report was introduced by James Fitzgerald, Group Accountant Corporate Resources and Services.

James advised that in addition to the ARG detailed within the report there will shortly be a slightly amended ARG to support taxi drivers only which will be a more simplified process for application. This means that after supplying the requested details a flat payment of £400.00 will be paid to drivers for all restriction periods that they have been affected by.

In response to questions Councillor Pitt clarified that this additional grant will not exclude taxi drivers from going through the full additional restrictions grant process or from applying for the self-employed grants that are available from the government.

DECISIONS:

The Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Economic Development noted that the Group Leaders approved the following at the SO58 meeting on 22 December 2020:

1. The LRSG (Open) scheme as attached in appendix one.

2. The Additional Restrictions Grant Fund scheme attached in appendix two.

3. The award of grants is delegated to the Director of Finance together with the Director of Regeneration or their representatives in accordance with the schemes attached at appendix 1 and 2 and following a technical multidisciplinary team assessment.