To receive representations from Members of the Council on the applications.
Minutes:
The Member noted receipt of an email from Town Cllr. Frank Osbourne which asked that the Panel consider approving the application from Chequer Mead Arts & Community Trust given the difficult financial position faced by the organisation.
The Chairman noted a conversation he had with Cllr Rex Whittaker, in his capacity as an MSDC Cllr., who drew attention to the difficulties faced by the organisation. He highlighted that to date they have not qualified for any grants they had applied for and have continued to exist thanks to their own efforts. He asked that officers of the Council engage with Cllr Whittaker and the Chequer Mead Arts & Community Trust to encourage them to submit an application in good time.
The Chairman issued a plea to businesses in Mid Sussex whom may have been watching the live-stream and needed grant assistance to submit applications by 31 March 2021. He outlined that approximately £10m is left in the grant pot which, if unspent, would be returned back to Central Government. He expressed reluctance to return the money to anywhere other than businesses in Mid Sussex. The Vice-Chairman echoed the Chairman’s comments.