Business Grants Update
North Lanarkshire Council · 12 May 2023
Back to Enterprise and Fair Work Committee — 12 May 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Enterprise and Fair Work Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref PH/YW Date 12/05/23 Business Grants Update From Pamela Humphries, Chief Office (Place) E-mail weiry@northlan.gov.uk Telephone Yvonne Weir, Enterprise Manager, 07508 001238 Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to seek approval for proposals to establish a Business Start Up Fund, a Small Business and Self Employment Support Fund, and a Business Growth Fund part-funded by the council’s allocation from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), remaining Local Authority Covid Economic Recovery Fund (LACER) and North Lanarkshire Council’s Recovery Fund. The report also details proposals to use UKSPF funding to establish bespoke business start-up and growth support for under-represented groups in North Lanarkshire, including women and Black, Asian, and other Minority Ethnic (BAME) people and communities. Recommendations It is recommended that the Enterprise and Fair Work Committee: (1) Considers and notes the contents of the report. (2) Approves the proposals to establish a Business Start Up Fund, a Small Business and Self Employment Support Fund, and a Business Growth Fund; and (3) Approves the proposals to deliver targeted entrepreneurial support for women and BAME people. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority Improve economic opportunities and outcomes Ambition statement (5) Grow and improve the sustainability and diversity of North Lanarkshire's economy
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1. Background 1.1 North Lanarkshire Council’s Enterprise Team delivers a wide range of support to businesses based in North Lanarkshire or those looking to locate to the area. Support is focused on broad areas where companies tend to experience challenges, such as funding, procurement, business advice, or where there is a lack of provision for a service within the local area, such as business events and networking opportunities. Figure 1 outlines a summary of these main areas of business support. A wider review of business support services, including an evaluation of all grant schemes, will be brought back to a future committee. Figure 1: Overview of North Lanarkshire Council Business Support 1.2 Whilst the wide range of Covid-related business funds delivered by both the council and other external parties on behalf of the Scottish Government focussed on supporting cash flow, fixed costs and loss of income, the council put in place a Start- up Grant, a Back to Business Fund and a Business Recovery and Growth Fund to support businesses requiring financial assistance to adapt and grow in order to realise their growth ambitions aligned to the council’s Economic Regeneration Delivery Plan and Economic Recovery Plan. These funds have a combined budget of approximately £2.68m which includes £0.544m European Regional Development Fund resources. Further details of these funds are set out below: Business Start-Up Fund 1.3 In February 2022 North Lanarkshire Council’s Enterprise and Growth Committee approved the creation of a Start-Up Grant Fund to provide funding to people with a robust, viable business idea who need funding to start trading. It was run by North and South Lanarkshire Council, with investment of £350,000 from each council and was delivered in partnership with Business Gateway Lanarkshire to address a lower business start-up rate in North Lanarkshire Council compared to the Scottish average.
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1.4 Grants of between £1,000 and £2,500 were available for essential business purchases such as IT equipment, infrastructure costs, website design and stock costs. The scheme closed on 31 March 2023 and resulted in spend of £167,500 with the award of 107 grants. Back to Business Fund 1.5 The Back to Business Fund (BBF) was funded through residual funds remaining from North Lanarkshire Council’s Covid-19 Discretionary Fund which was from a one-off Scottish Government block grant for business support during the pandemic. BBF had a total budget of £253,622 to help businesses address specific, immediate priorities in direct response to the Covid-19 pandemic. This enables them to adapt or modify their premises or operating model to address new challenges in their trading environment. 1.6 The BBF focusses on providing grant funding as a contribution towards specific projects or investments being undertaken by applicants in direct response to Covid- 19 and is not geared towards addressing working capital requirements or day-to-day cashflow issues. BBF grants will provide 100% of eligible project costs (excluding VAT), up to a maximum grant award of £2,500 with one application per business. To-date the BBF has awarded grant to 49 businesses, totalling £134,865.77 of grant awards. Business Recovery and Growth Fund 1.7 North Lanarkshire Council’s Business Recovery and Growth Fund (BRGF) currently provides grants of up to £50,000, targeted at existing Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) to support their strategic, longer-term sustainability and growth. This grant fund’s specific activities to help businesses adapt and grow through Capital Expenditure, Infrastructure Improvements, Training Support, Consultancy Support and Exhibition Support. 1.8 The financial support available from the Council continues to be a valuable mechanism to help businesses de-risk the business case to adapt, grow, and recover from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, and helps them take advantage of new business opportunities at a time when increasing economic, inflationary and energy cost pressures are creating financial barriers to growth. 1.9 As the BRGF fund is match funded with European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) the BRGF scheme was closed on 31st March 2023 to enable the reconciliation of ERDF funds to take place as the UK Government’s structural successor funding scheme (UK Shared Prosperity Fund) will need to be used to match fund any future business grant schemes. 1.10 There has been significant demand for BRGF support from North Lanarkshire’s business community since its launch in 2021. To 31st March 2023, BRGF has seen 83 types of grant support awarded to 61 unique North Lanarkshire businesses with actual and committed spend of £1,427,656.59. This has resulted in forecasts from the businesses supported of 114 jobs created immediately, with a further 240 jobs being created after 12 months, and 684 jobs safeguarded. Businesses are also forecasting an increase in their turnover of £23.1 million after 12 months through BRGF support.
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2. Report 2.1 With the approval of the £13.87m funding for North Lanarkshire through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), a series of Interventions for North Lanarkshire were approved to support local businesses and investment in the area up to 31 March 2025. These specific interventions are noted in the table below. Intervention Proposed Activity 2023/ 2024 (£) 2024/ 2025 (£) Total UKSPF Allocation (£) S15 Grant funding and support for businesses to help increase start-ups, growth and investment and employment opportunities, including support to introduce new digital technology and advanced manufacturing technology 350,000 950,000 1,300,000 (of which £1,000,000 grants and £300,000 for advanced manufacturing) S19 Targeted support to help increase business start-ups and encourage entrepreneurs in excluded/under-represented groups 122,624 172,738 295,362 2.2 This report seeks approval to commence activity within interventions S15 (grant funding) and S19 (targeted support for entrepreneurialism). UKSPF Intervention 15 – Grant Funding Support 2.3 To deliver on Intervention S15, it is proposed that a series of business grant schemes will be set up to support the establishment and growth of new and existing businesses in North Lanarkshire to complement the wider business support available. This will include a range of targeted support for start-ups, micro businesses, and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) undertaking growth projects, with an additional focus on helping businesses invest in digital transformation and net zero projects. 2.4 The proposed indicative baseline budget for the funds including UKSPF is noted in the table below. Where there is increased demand in one area, it is proposed the funding be moved between Funds. Should there be any grants not claimed by businesses through previous schemes, this funding will also be recycled within these Funds:
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Grant Scheme Total Budget (£) UKSPF (£) Scottish Government Discretionary Fund (£) NLC Recovery Fund (£) Local Authority Covid Economic Recovery Fund (£) Business Start-Up Fund 100,000 100,000 Small Business and Self-Employed Support Scheme 500,000 500,000 Business Growth Fund 1,234,058 325,000 118,756 81,170 709,132 Grant Staffing and Administration 75,000 75,000 TOTAL 1,909,058 1,000,000 118,756 81,170 709,132 Business Start-Up Fund 2.5 The latest data shows that North Lanarkshire continues to generate fewer business start-ups per 10,000 working age population relative to the Scottish and Glasgow City Region averages. Therefore, it is proposed to re-establish a Start Up Grant Fund to provide financial support to those who have a viable business idea but do not have the funds to start. 2.6 The grant fund will support ventures which are at the pre-start/pre-trading/feasibility stage. It will provide financial support to help these pre-start businesses with a robust and viable business idea to commence trading earlier than would otherwise be possible, if at all. It is proposed that a grant of up to £1,000 will be available for home- based enterprises with employee headcount of less than 1 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) in addition to the proprietor. It is proposed that businesses that operate from commercial premises and/or have a minimum of 1 FTE in addition to the proprietor will be able to apply for a grant of up to £2,500. 2.7 Grants shall be made available to start-up businesses basis subject to: • A fully completed application form • Robust and viable business/project plan • Completion of a Business Gateway Planning to Start Review • Start-up balance sheet and 12-month cashflow which demonstrates a reasonable financial need for grant assistance • Detail of what the grant shall fund, to be considered acceptable to the Council. Eligible items may include, IT equipment, infrastructure costs, website design and stock purchases. • Commitment to engage with Business Gateway • Operating a business bank account • Businesses who are proposing to operate in sectors reputationally damaging to the Council will be excluded from applying • Compliance with UK subsidy control requirements 2.8 Robust checks will be put in place to evidence the businesses status which may include but is not limited to; analysis of bank statements, financial statements including debtors/creditors lists, marketing presence, work in progress, lease agreements and wage payments.
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Small Business and Self-Employed Support Scheme 2.9 Feedback from businesses highlighted a gap in current grant provision during their first year of operation which can often be the most challenging. 2.10 It is proposed that a Small Business Support Scheme will be designed to help micro and small sized businesses fund costs associated with training, consultancy, capital expenditure and infrastructure improvements for a new project that creates or safeguards jobs and improves the viability of the business. It is anticipated that this will provide 100% grant support up to £3,000 for businesses with more than one full- time employee. For self-employed individuals with no employees, it is anticipated that a maximum one-off grant will be made available up to £1,000. This scheme will be open to small businesses operating across a wide range of sectors, including retail businesses. 2.11 To be eligible, businesses must be able to meet all the following criteria: • The business is based in North Lanarkshire (inc. home-based businesses) • The business is a micro or small business directly employing no more than 49 full time equivalent employees. • The business has been trading for no more than 12 months. • The business can clearly evidence why financial assistance from North Lanarkshire Council is essential. • The business is viable and can provide evidence to validate this as part of the application. • The business has not incurred any project-related expenditure until after a formal decision on the grant application has been received. • The business owns the business premises or has more than 12 months remaining on a commercial lease at the date of application. • The business is not connected to a tax haven • Compliance with UK subsidy control requirements 2.12 Businesses will need to provide the following evidence to support their application: • A fully completed application form. • Evidence of a business/project plan. A summary of the project and detail how the Scheme will help the businesses address specific, immediate priorities. • Evidence of Incorporation - any one of the following: o Company (inc. SCIO): Certificate of Incorporation or Companies House registration number. o Partnership: Partnership agreement or HMRC registration. o Sole Trader Self Employed and Freelancers: HMRC registration, Self- assessment documents or valid business insurance document. o Community Interest Company: Certificate of Incorporation o Trust: Constitution documents, HMRC registration or VAT registration document. • Evidence of Business bank statements dated within three months of the application clearly showing the name, address, sort code and account number. Personal bank accounts will only be accepted where they clearly show business transactions. • Evidence of ownership/commercial lease (if applicable). This could be a copy of i) premises lease summary or ii) e-mail from landlord confirming duration of tenancy agreement, or iii) proof of ownership. • Evidence of projected project costs. This should include formal supplier quote(s) for all eligible items/works seeking grant support.
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Business Growth Fund 2.13 Given the success of the Business Recovery and Growth Fund and continuing requests for support from North Lanarkshire’s businesses, it is proposed to re-launch a Business Growth Fund which will be a competitive, discretionary grant fund targeted at new and existing businesses based in North Lanarkshire to support their strategic, long-term sustainability and growth. 2.14 Grants will contribute up to 50% towards eligible project costs (excluding VAT) for Capital Expenditure, Infrastructure Improvement, Consultancy Support, Training Support and Exhibition Support, up to a maximum grant award of up to £50,000. 2.15 This fund will be geared towards assisting specific activities to help businesses grow, innovate, and diversify their operations (including net zero/carbon reduction measures and digital transformation projects), all with the core aims of encouraging business growth (key measures include increase in turnover and job creation). 2.16 Applicant businesses will be required to complete a full application and comply with the following eligibility criteria. The Council may carry out further checks on the applicant business by consulting sources of business information such as Companies House, Business Gateway, Scottish Enterprise, and similar databases: i. Business type & location: The applicant business must be either a start-up or an existing business based in North Lanarkshire and operating within a recognised legal structure (see www.gov.uk/business-legal- structures/overview). Private individuals cannot apply for grant support. Ventures at the pre-start/pre-trading/feasibility stage will typically be ineligible and should instead consider the Business Start Up Fund for support. ii. Place of business: If the applicant business only has a ‘registered office address’ or a ‘virtual office address’ within North Lanarkshire but conducts its actual business or trade from an operational base out with North Lanarkshire, then the business will not be eligible to apply. The company’s invoicing and business correspondence address must be within North Lanarkshire. The business must also be able to demonstrate that it pays non-domestic rates (if applicable) to the council. iii. Business size: The fund is aimed at micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) defined by the European Commission as enterprises which employ fewer than 250 people and which have and annual turnover not exceeding £44.2m (EUR 50 million), and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding £38m (EUR 43 million). iv. Sectors Supported: The types of applicant businesses and industry sectors we propose to consider for grant support will be aligned to the Council’s Plan for North Lanarkshire and the Economic Regeneration Delivery Plan. Therefore, priority will be given to businesses operating in the following sectors: − Manufacturing − Logistics − Food & Drink − Heath & Social Care − Life Sciences − Creative Industries
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− Tourism − Construction − Social Enterprise − Energy Where businesses applying do not fall into these sectors, their applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case business to demonstrate economic impact and fit with the Plan for North Lanarkshire and the Economic Regeneration Delivery Plan. v. Business structure: If the applicant is part of a larger group of businesses or franchise with a headquarters out with North Lanarkshire, or has direct/indirect links to other businesses, it can only apply if it is a wholly autonomous cost/profit centre responsible for its own day-to-day management and producing its own management accounts and audited accounts. Applicants which fall into this category may be asked to produce evidence of their autonomy from the parent company/group. vi. Business turnover: Applications will only be considered where the business turnover is expected to reach a minimum level equivalent to the current VAT registration threshold of £85,000 (at least) within 12 months of the date of application. Where the current business turnover is below this level, financial projections, and evidence of pending orders/contracts/letters of interest from customers will be required to support the anticipated increase in turnover. vii. Need for grant: Applicants must be able to demonstrate a funding gap that is preventing, delaying, or limiting business growth. We will also actively encourage other sources of funding to be explored first - Council funding should be regarded as a ‘last resort’ once all other funding options have been exhausted. Other funding routes can be investigated at www.mygov.scot/funding-opportunities. viii. Business premises: Applicant businesses can be home-based or operating from dedicated commercial premises. In the case of rented commercial premises a minimum 12-month lease is preferred, although month to month or rolling leases will be considered by exception based on merit. A copy of the lease agreement may be requested in support of the grant application. Home- based businesses are generally ineligible for Capital Expenditure or Infrastructure Improvement grants except where a dedicated manufacturing unit exists on-site which is separate from the residence. ix. Previous grant support: There is a limit to the number of successful applications that a business may submit to the Business Growth Fund in a rolling 24-month period, as well as the total amount of grant funding that they can apply for within the same period, as follows:
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Type of grant Maximum number of grants in a 24-month period Maximum grant award within a 24-month period – NEW APPLICANTS Maximum grant award within a 24- month period - PREVIOUS APPLICANTS Capital Expenditure 2 £50,000 £50,000 minus previous BRGF award Infrastructure Improvement 2 £50,000 £50,000 minus previous BRGF award Combined Capex + Infrastructure 2 £50,000 £50,000 minus previous BRGF award Consultancy Support 1 £5,000 £5,000 Exhibition Support 1 £4,000 £4,000 Training Support 1 £4,000 £4,000 Commencing from the launch of the 2021/2022 Business Recovery and Growth Fund, the maximum cumulative grant awarded to any one business within a 24-month period will continue to be limited to £50,000. Note that this includes all capital expenditure, infrastructure, consultancy support, exhibition support and training support funding for which the applicant may apply. The total amount of public sector funding support for the project in question will not exceed 50% of total project costs (exclusive of VAT). x. Subsidy Control: All funding awarded will require to ensure compliance with the new UK Subsidy Control regime. UKSPF Intervention 19 - Targeted Entrepreneurial Support 2.17 The introduction of UKSPF has afforded the opportunity to develop a new and enhanced strand of business support that was unable to be delivered at scale with previous structural funds for Black, Asian, and other Minority Ethnic (BAME) people and Lanarkshire Women in Business (LWIB) respectively. 2.18 According to National Statistics, North Lanarkshire has typically seen lower than the national average rates of women and BAME people starting up businesses. This support seeks to provide community-based advice and support to individuals who typically experience structural barriers to entrepreneurship, self-employment or running their own business. 2.19 A total of £295,362 has been identified within the UKSPF to support women in business and BAME activity. Support will be procured and tailored to client groups who do not typically engage with mainstream business support services. The support is summarised in the table below:
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Activity UKSPF BAME Business Support £155,362 Women In Business • Events £10,000 • Training and Development £60,000 • Women’s Business Centre £50,000 • Community Outreach £10,000 • Digital Reach £10,000 TOTAL £295,362 Black, Asian, and other Minority Ethnic (BAME) Business Support 2.20 In 2022 the Council commissioned research to begin to understand the lived experiences and future needs of North Lanarkshire’s BAME people. This research was undertaken by the University of the West of Scotland. The research findings are available on North Lanarkshire Council’s website here: Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Research Findings | North Lanarkshire Council. 2.21 The findings highlighted a range of specific barriers to employment and skills, such as occupational segregation, perceptions of racial discrimination leading to a lack of employment opportunities, language, and skills and qualifications obtained overseas not being formally recognised in the UK. Importantly, self-employment was an attractive option for many BAME people as it provided a route out of unemployment and low paid jobs and compensated for the lack of educational qualifications. The Council’s Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee was presented with the research findings at its meeting in February 2023 and agreed that a collective, partnership response to the findings was required. 2.22 To support these findings, it is proposed that £155,362 is used to deliver tailored business start-up content to the BAME community in North Lanarkshire. This support will be procured and will seek to address language, cultural, perception, and confidence barriers to business start-up that cannot be delivered in-house or via Business Gateway Lanarkshire. This is intended to provide bespoke multi-year support for BAME people and groups and will form part of the council’s response to address the employment and skills barriers identified in the research. 2.23 Specifically, the key deliverables will be: 1. Provision of support which is anticipated to consist of a mix of one to one, group, and bespoke programmes to support the development and growth of business start-ups from BAME people across North Lanarkshire. Types of support in key topic areas include (but not limited to): mindset, confidence, life coaching, idea generation, funding, trading, and income generation, tendering and procurement (to complement Supplier Development Programme), marketing, recruitment of employees and business planning. 2. Support the creation of new businesses led by BAME people in North Lanarkshire 3. Support the growth of businesses led by BAME people who are already trading in North Lanarkshire 4. Delivery of bespoke business-focused thematic or sectoral events for BAME communities.
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2.24 To supplement delivery, BAME businesses will be referred and supported to apply for the council’s range of business grant schemes to aid the growth of their businesses. Grant fund budgets will be managed to ensure there is capacity for BAME businesses to apply for grants following the procurement and delivery of the proposed support. Lanarkshire Women in Business (LWIB) 2.25 LWIB is a partnership initiative led by North and South Lanarkshire Councils, Business Gateway Lanarkshire, New College Lanarkshire, and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) that delivers female-focused business support. It was set up to address Lanarkshire’s lower levels of female entrepreneurship. According to National Statistics Annual Population Survey, in North Lanarkshire 5.6% (6,100) of all females aged 16-64 were self-employed in 2022, compared to 7.6% (8,800) of males. 2.26 Subsequently, LWIB was set up in 2021 as a year-long pilot and was hugely successful with a total of 547 women registered for the 4 pilot events with 300 women attending. Subsequent events in webinar format have continued to be well received through Covid with 425 registering for and 216 accessing a further 7 online events. The initiative has since continued delivered by North Lanarkshire Council and is equally match funded by South Lanarkshire Council and partners also provide in-kind contributions to support the delivery of the initiative. Feedback from women entrepreneurs and existing business leaders attending LWIB events has informed the UKSPF proposals to undertake the following interventions: 2.27 Events - Events formed a critical part of the delivery of support to women entrepreneurs as it provides a unique opportunity to learn from gender-specific experiences of women business leaders in the area and the ability to network. It is proposed that up to £10,000 will be allocated to deliver 4 events in 2023/24, with South Lanarkshire Council providing the same contribution, to deliver a further 4 events in 2024/25 that will champion the role of women in business through thematic, quarterly events. These will rotate across the Lanarkshire area, be headlined by inspiring speakers and open to women who are thinking of starting a business, those who are starting up and those who already are trading in business. 2.28 Training and Development - To support the LWIB ambition of increasing the number of female entrepreneurs a £48,000 procurement was undertaken to provide specialist leadership training and facilitation of a mentorship programme tailored for women in business. The aim of the Leadership Training is to support females in Lanarkshire to start new businesses, grow existing businesses and pursue career opportunities by helping attendees to: • Set and achieve goals • Increase productivity • Improve resilience • Increase influencing and negotiation skills The services augmented the in person bi-monthly thematic events delivered by the Local Authorities (and partners) via the Lanarkshire Women in Business Brand. 4 leadership training sessions were held over 6 months with 35 women attending. Each of these women were assigned a mentor who they were able to work with to accelerate their professional development. It is proposed that a further £60,000 is allocated to continue this support for North Lanarkshire over the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years with South Lanarkshire Council providing the same contribution to support activity in their local authority area.
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2.29 Business Space Provision - Through extensive engagement from Women’s Enterprise Scotland, a research-led, not-for-profit Community Interest Company which champions women-led and women-owned businesses, and feedback from LWIB attendees, there is an appetite to create and develop a dedicated workspace in North Lanarkshire for women to ‘test trade’, start and grow businesses. Through the UKSPF it is proposed that £50,000 is used to support the development of a new Women’s Business Centre in Airdrie, subject to securing match funding, as part of its emerging plans for the heritage-led regeneration of Airdrie town centre. This contribution of £50,000 will pilot a new approach, providing business support alongside co-working and incubator space to support women to start-up, sustain and grow their businesses in a vacant historic building at the heart of the town centre. Further information on the regeneration proposals is contained within the External Funding Update paper in this committee cycle. 2.30 Community Outreach - Whilst LWIB has been successful in attracting a wide number of women business leaders to engage, there is still the need to develop a community-led, outreach approach that would see LWIB activity in all North Lanarkshire’s towns and also in outlying and rural areas of North Lanarkshire which would aim to raise awareness of LWIB and to stimulate and support women who may not think starting a business is for them, those who have already decided to start a business and also those women who wish to grow their existing business. Up to £10,000 will be allocated to support the delivery of this programme. 2.31 Digital Reach - To ensure accessibility and connections amongst LWIB members it is proposed up to £10,000 is used to establish a digital interface for LWIB which can promote ongoing support for women interested in starting or growing their business in North Lanarkshire. This could be a LinkedIn group for example which would require external consultancy support to enable effective moderation and marketing of support to ensure LWIB users are engaged and interact with the interface. 3. Measures of success 3.1 A range of Key Performance Measures will be in place for the activities outlined above. These will include: • Numbers of businesses supported (financial support) • Numbers of businesses supported (non-financial support) • Number of grants awarded • Amounts of grants awarded • Investment by businesses to support grants awarded (match funding) • Number of jobs created • Numbers of jobs safeguarded • Number of new businesses created • Number of events delivered • Number of attendees at events • Number of businesses introducing new products to the firm • Number of businesses introducing new to the firm technologies or processes • Number of firms with improved digital connectivity 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 None
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Pamela Humphries Chief Officer (Place)
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5. Impacts 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Equalities Impact Assessments will be undertaken for each of the projects outlined above. The proposals contained in this report will specifically help to address inequality by supporting women and BAME people to start their own businesses. If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality- and-fairer-scotland-duty-impact-assessments Yes ☐ No ☒ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts have been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? North Lanarkshire has received an allocation of £13,871,047 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) including £1.295m to support the business support activity set out in this report. The funding allocated through the LACER fund and the NLC Recovery Fund will be committed by 31st March 2024. 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts have been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts have been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? With any business grant awards North Lanarkshire Council must ensure all provisions contained within the Subsidy Control Act 2022 legislation are adhered to. Processes will be developed in consultation with the Council’s Legal and Internal Audit Services to ensure compliance before any business grant schemes are launched. 5.5 Data protection impact
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Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☒ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Through the support outlined in the report, small to medium-sized businesses in North Lanarkshire will be able to receive support to assess and procure enhanced digital technology to that currently in use. This can include consultancy support to redesign services, business change processes, manage data more effectively and improve their digital connectivity. Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☒ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Through the support outlined in the report, small to medium-sized businesses in North Lanarkshire will be able to receive financial and advisory support to assess and procure energy saving and emission-reducing technologies and consultancy support. 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Promotion of the range of business support outlined will be undertaken with Corporate Communications and published on the council’s website and promoted on social media channels. 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed?
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The key risks which are assessed and recorded in the Service Risk Register are as follows: - Fraud: The council has robust grant processes in place. - Eligibility of grants for the UK SPF: All grants are checked for compliance prior to payment to ensure there is no risk of non-compliance with funding rules and regulations. 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services.