Decision details

The Committee received a presentation from the Council’s Business Relationship Manager, Mena Caldbeck, on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on economic development in Stevenage and on the Council’s response.

The presentation covered a wide range of data this included:

·       A snapshot of national economic data regarding the effect of the pandemic

·       Government Support Measures including small business grant; discretionary grant; retail, hospitality & leisure business rate relief; job retention scheme; self-employment income support scheme; bounce back loan scheme; business interruption loan scheme; time to pay scheme; VAT deferral; deferral of self-assessment payment; Kickstart Scheme (work placement for 16-24 year olds); flexibility to pay back loans; support to stop evictions

·       Analysis of a local business survey that was undertaken in August 2020 with 145 businesses completing the survey, including micro, SME’s & large businesses from all sectors

·       The Survey provided information on the following areas: what were businesses current concerns; numbers furloughed; self-employed; agency workers; businesses returning to full staff numbers; how local businesses were accessing government support measures; what adaptations businesses had made to their business during the pandemic

·       Part of the survey had been to ask businesses what they thought should be the key priorities for the Council with regard to supporting the business community

Members raised questions and comments covering a range of issues which the Business Relationship Manager responded to:

·       what particular skills, upskilling and retraining can the Borough Council do to help the local workforce?

·       What can the Council and its partners like CVS & CAB do to help deliver practical solutions to change people’s lives if that person has been made redundant or can’t find employment?

·       How many of the Government support measures that were referred to in the presentation are administered by the Council? The Strategic Director Finance offered to circulate to the Committee the latest Member dashboard that details all of the schemes that the Council is involved in administering.

·       What mechanisms are there for smaller businesses to take on traineeships for young people and apprenticeships, if they have to take on 30 new employees to qualify for the £1.5K to £2K payments?

It was RESOLVED:

(1)  That the presentation be noted; and

(2)  That the Strategic Director Finance would circulate to the Committee the latest Member dashboard that details all of the schemes that the Council is involved in administering to help businesses and individuals during the pandemic.