Scotland Loves Local Gift Card Update
Argyll and Bute Council · 16 June 2022
Back to Policy and Resources Committee — 16 June 2022 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH 16 JUNE 2022 SCOTLAND LOVES LOCAL GIFT CARD UPDATE 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 The purpose of this report is to update members on the Scotland Loves Local Argyll and Bute Gift Card Scheme. 1.2 The Argyll and Bute Love Local Gift Card formally launched in October 2021 and there are currently 110 businesses registered to accept the gift card as payment for goods and services throughout Argyll and Bute. Table 1 provides an overview of the transactions to date:- Table 1: Gift Card Transactions No. of cards sold to date Value of cards sold to date No. of in store transactions to date In store spend to date 235 £12,035.00 78 £2,563.55 1.3 At the full Council meeting on 28th April 2022, members agreed that the council commit a share of the Local Authority COVID Economic Recovery (LACER) Fund to: Issue Scotland Loves Local Gift Cards to households in receipt of Council Tax Reduction Scheme - £797,720; Fully fund Gift Card for 2022/2023 into 2023/2024 - £30,000; Marketing budget to promote Gift Card - £10,000. 1.4 A report will be brought back to members at a future date to update on the progress on the take up of the Argyll and Bute Love Local Gift Card. RECOMMENDATION Members of Policy and Resources Committee are invited: a) To consider the contents of the report and the progress of the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card scheme within Argyll and Bute.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH 16 JUNE 2022 SCOTLAND LOVES LOCAL GIFT CARD UPDATE 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 The purpose of this report is to update members on the Scotland Loves Local Argyll and Bute Gift Card Scheme. Members are invited to view the webpage at the link below, which provides details of the buisnesses within Argyll and Bute who have signed up, along with news and updates. Argyll and Bute Gift Card - Scotland Loves Local Gift Cards 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 Members of the Policy and Resources Committee are asked: a) To consider the contents on the report and the progress of the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card scheme within Argyll and Bute. 4.0 DETAIL 4.1 At their meeting of the 12th August 2021, Policy and Resources Committee agreed to the council taking part in the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card scheme and to signing the concordat in regard to participation in the fully funded trial period of one year. Members also agreed to give further consideration to the possibility of extending the scheme once sufficient information became available. 4.2 The Argyll and Bute Gift Card formally launched in October 2021. The scheme was a year-long pilot, funded by Scottish Government and administered through the Scotland’s Town Partnership, designed to boost local spending and support local businesses. 4.3 During the first year of the scheme, the council sought to promote the gift card amongst outlets, merchants and visitor attractions in the local authority area. Officers worked with local stakeholders such as BIDS, Chamber of Commerce and other community organisations to promote uptake of the card. 4.4 There are currently 110 businesses registered to accept the card as payment for
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goods and services throughout Argyll and Bute, including retailers, food and drink providers, health and beauty providers, leisure and accommodation providers as well as other service providers. At the time of writing this report, there are a further 28 businesses in the process of registering to join this Scheme. 4.5 Table 1 provides an overview of transactions to date:- Table 1: Gift Card Transactions No. of cards sold to date Value of cards sold to date No. of in store transactions to date In store spend to date 235 £12,035.00 78 £2,563.55 4.6 COSLA Leaders and Ministers agreed an £80m Local Authority COVID Economic Recovery (LACER) Fund available to Local Authorities, with the intent to support local economic recovery and cost of living impacts on low-income households. At the full Council Meeting of 28th April 2022, members agreed to commit a share of the LACER Fund to the Gift Card. The approved options were:- Issue Scotland Loves Local Gift Card to households in receipt of Council Tax Reduction Scheme - £797,720; Fully fund Gift Card for 2022/2023 into 2023/20224 - £30,000; Marketing budget to promote Gift Card - £10,000. 4.7 There are 6,531 households in receipt of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, and who will receive a Gift Card worth £120. The Gift Card at present can be spent in a number of retailers such as Aldi, Boots, Marks and Spencer, and Semi Chem, as well as a host of independent retailers/businesses. Scotland’s Town Partnership is working to secure other retailers such as Co-op, PayPoint and SPARs in Argyll and Bute, which would allow recipients to spend their Gift Card in locally accessible food and energy providers. It is anticipated that the significant amount of LACER Funds committed will increase business registration across Argyll and Bute. 4.8 With the Gift Card now fully funded until 2023/2024, this will allow the scheme to gather momentum, encourage sign up by more retailers and increase purchase by consumers to spend money locally and support local economic recovery. Officers will work with Scotland’s Town Partnership to promote the benefits of the card and will continue to monitor the benefits of the card and report back to members. 4.9 The marketing allocation from the LACER funds will be used to encourage additional business registration across Argyll and Bute. Officers are currently considering options for spend and anticipate marketing activity will be rolled out from the summer months. 4.10 A report will be brought back to members at a future date to update on the progress on the promotion and take up of the Love Local Gift Card in Argyll and Bute.
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5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1 Members of the Policy and Resources Committee are asked to consider the contents of the report and the progress of the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card scheme within Argyll and Bute. 6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Policy – The Gift Card supports Scottish Government’s ‘place’ policies, particularly the 20 minute neighbourhood concept. 6.2 Financial – Council has committed a share of LACER funding toward purchase, continuation and promotion of the Gift Card. 6.3 Legal – None. 6.4 HR – It should be noted that work to undertake the promotion of the Shop Local Card will place an additional call on officer time within the Development and Economic Growth Service and the council’s Communications Team. 6.5 Fairer Scotland Duty: 6.5.1 Equalities - protected characteristics – None. 6.5.2 Socio-economic Duty – Council has committed to £797,720 to provide Gift Cards to individuals in receipt of Council Tax Reduction Scheme. The cards support local economies through encouraging local spend. 6.5.3 Islands – The Gift Card supports the economy of island communities through encouraging local spend. 6.6. Climate Change – The Gift Card supports Climate Change objectives through encouraging local spend. 6.7 Risk – Ensuring commitment of £797,720 towards purchase of Gift Card will be spent. 6.8 Customer Service – None. Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth: Kirsty Flanagan Policy Lead for Economic and Rural Growth: Councillor Robin Currie 6 May 2022 For further information contact: Fergus Murray, Head of Development and Economic Growth Fergus.Murray@argyll-bute.gov.uk Audrey Martin, Transformation Projects and Regeneration Manager Audrey.Martin@argyll-bute.gov.uk