Published Delegated Executive Decisions

Decision ref

0010 2022/23

Decision date

29/07/2022

Portfolio

Finance and Governance

Wards

All wards

Title

Revised COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) scheme

Summary

To approve the COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) scheme v2

Purpose

To approve the COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) scheme v2 (attached). The CARF scheme will provide rate relief to businesses that have been adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic and are ineligible to receive other covid-related reliefs. Relief will be applied to 2021/22 financial year with all funds needing to be utilised prior to 30 September 2022.

Background

As a result of low take-up, it is proposed to amend the qualification criteria and and remove maximum award criteria to ensure funding is provided to local businesses.

Conclusion

The government has provided billing authorities with funding to develop a CARF scheme and to provide rate relief to eligible businesses. Billing authorities are required to develop a local scheme using discretionary powers granted under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988. St Helens Borough Council has been allocated £3,220,941. The scheme will apply to the 2021/22 financial year. Relief will be applied to eligible periods during 2021/22 financial year only. The value of relief granted will be determined once the number of eligible applications has been received and prioritised. As with other billing authorities, take up for scheme has been very low. To increase take up it is proposed to remove from the scheme types of businesses that were unlikely to qualify for support under the scheme and remove limits restricting the maximum award under the scheme.

Anti-Poverty/Human Rights/Agenda 21 Implications

N/A

Risk Implications

Underspending allocation

Measures to Redress Risk

Revised scheme

Declarations Of Interest

None

More information

Please Contact Gordon Lee - Ext 5230 for more details.