Agenda item

William Hawkins, Economic Development Officer, introduced the report which presented 41 micro business grant applications for consideration by the Cabinet Grants Panel. He noted that if all grants were approved then all of the Micro Business funding would be committed for this round of the scheme. He also noted that two grants were part-funded due to part of the applications relating to direct staffing costs and a further application, The Elegant Feast, was part-funded as insurance costs are considered business-as-usual costs.

 

The applications which were recommended for consideration by the Panel is set out below:

 

Organisation	Purpose for which award is sought	Award Requested	Award Suggested
Couture & Tiaras Bridal / Duduzile Sibanda	New product range	£2,000.00	£1,000.00
BetterBio Health Limited / Piero Barba	Digital advertising	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
T&B Events Ltd / Thomas Hands	Upgrading IT Equipment	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
RLS Recruitment Solutions Ltd / Ross Stretton	Targeted marketing plan and strategy	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
Aprimatic Automation Ltd / Kevin Mitchell	Marketing and advertising	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
The Perrymount Clinic / Christian Bates	Development and marketing of new online course	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
Domum Project Management Ltd / Adrian James	Purchase equipment, software and training	£1,162.00	£1,162.00
The Remake Store / Katy Burlace	Website setup and marketing	£500.00	£500.00
Burgess Hill Business Park Association Ltd / Martyn Carr	Website Development	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
Lesley Burdett Photography / Lesley Burdett	Website / marketing / equipment	£1,000.00	£1,000.00
Nuevo Staffing / Alex Birley	Website re-brand / marketing / equipment	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
Jon Hair Fashions Ltd / Alexandra Birt	Premises improvements / new equipment	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
Its Sew Vintage / Shannaz Noormohamed	Premises improvements	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
Whitebox products / Charlie Baker	Design and build new equipment	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
Apple Barn Creative / Robert Willard Watts	Equipment, premises improvements, website development and marketing	£1,480.00	£1,480.00
Custom Gifts Limited / Francoise Gray	New specialist equipment	£2,000.00	£2,000.001
Coaching with Nisanka / Nisanka Wickramarachchi	Website and new product development (new online course)	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
JV Horticulture Ltd / Jasper Van Vliet	Purchase equipment	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
HM Veterinary Physiotherapy / Harley Saunders	Purchase equipment	£1,845.00	£1,845.00
i-tech Links Ltd / Atif Amin	Purchase equipment	£1,600.00	£1,600.00
Aquaonic Life CIC / Neil Whichelow	IT build and development (new online platform)	£900	£900
Better Catering Ltd / Emiliano Mancino	Refurbishment / website development / equipment and training	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
Conquest Hard Landscaping Ltd / Ross Conquest	Website development, logo development and new branding	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
Armchair Tasting Tours LLP / Hilary Knight	Advertising and licences / website design and build / new equipment	£1,215.00	£1,215.00
RMK Portable Appliance Testing LTD / John Mullins	New equipment and training	£1,052.00	£1,052.00
Kell & Collins / Mary Collins	Premises expansion and fit out	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
Search Engine Expert Near Me / Nathan Davidson	Design and delivery of direct marketing campaign	£450.00	£450.00
Fresh Display Ltd / Steven Powell	Brand strategy and website development	£1,900.00	£1,900.00
Ellie Ford Music / Ellie Ford	Website development / new equipment / venue hire	£1,150.00	£1,150.00
No.1 Broad Street Ltd / Philip Bunn	Refurbishment of premises	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
Charlotte's Gifts / Charlotte Kempson	Set up a website and new equipment	£750.00	£750.00
Active Staffing Solutions Ltd / Graeme Styles	CRM system, website upgrade / new equipment / marketing	£900.00	£900.00
The Koorana Centre / Gabrielle Rafello	Specialist marketing, SEO package and campaign	£890.00	£890.00
My Sherpa Programmes Ltd / Alex Kent	Marketing and development of a new service	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
Newman Electrical Services Ltd / David Newman	Specialist training and equipment	£1,050.00	£1,050.00
Red Pigeon Media / Jayac Heal	Digital marketing campaign / advertising	£155.00	£155.00
ScreenStories / Dan Ford	Purchase equipment	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
Paper Plus / Lucy Henry	New online platform and marketing data	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
Soror / Kerry Harrison	Renovate store front	£1,250.00	£1,250.00
The People Magic Company Ltd / Peter Martin	Digital strategy and equipment	£1,500.00	£1,500.00
The Elegant Feast / Zoe Nicholas	Purchase equipment and insurance	£895.00	£895.00
TEFLPA Ltd / James Prior	Website development and SEO / marketing	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
CM Group Ltd t/a Fatma's Kitchen / Fatma Yilmaz	Social Media campaign and management	£1,575.00	£1,575.00
Innervalues Limited / Lee Barnett	Premises improvements	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
Scrapless CIC / Megan King	Market Stalls / Pop up shops	£1,100.00	£550.00
Reab Physical Health / Christine Burdon	Premises improvements	£2,000.00	£2,000.00
Total		£72,319	£70,769

 

 

The Chairman drew attention to the graph on P.20 which he found helpful and interesting to see the how applications were distributed across the District. He expressed concern alongside the Vice-Chairman about the lack of grants issued to businesses in East Grinstead and asked what could be done to highlight the grants to that community.

 

The Vice-Chairman endorsed the Chairman’s comments and confirmed that he raised his concerns with the East Grinstead Business Association. He added that the Business Association engages extremely well with the Council and has held grants events to promote the funding, with both doing their best as much as possible.

 

The Chairman highlighted the need to promote the grants as much as possible.

 

The Vice-Chairman sought clarification on why several applications were approved whilst scoring less than 50%. He noted that some grants relate to premises improvements and hoped that the premises are commercial rather than domestic. He also sought clarification as to whether other Council departments are consulted during the application stage such as planning, building control or environmental health.

 

The Chairman confirmed that the discussions are held between departments as issues have been raised in his own portfolio briefings with Business Unit Leaders.

 

Sally Blomfield, Divisional Leader for Planning and Economy, confirmed that there are regular meetings with colleagues in other departments and the applications awarded have the full benefit of the permissions they require. She added that there are two parts to the assessment criteria – the first is whether they meet the qualifying criteria, being micro businesses located in Mid Sussex, and the second is whether they meet any of the criteria for the requested award which those part-funded did.

 

The Economic Development Officer said that he took comfort in the payment on receipt of invoice so that the Council can see exactly what they are paying for.

 

The Chairman found the criteria and measuring matrix in the appendices useful.

 

The Member thanked the officers for their report. He drew attention to the unsuccessful application from Hypertune, Ashurstwood. He described that he met the owner who has been working to reduce the noise produced by the business as well as improve the productivity and business premises. He sought clarification as to how the refusal was arrived at.

 

The Economic Development Officer explained that, along with the Economic Development team, they did not feel that the application met the criteria. It did  not meet the ‘business growth’ aspect of the scheme as the application specifically mentioned noise complaints.

 

The Chairman asked if they requested funding for a specific mitigation.

 

The Economic Development Officer confirmed that they did.

 

The Chairman enquired if the business were not to receive the grant, would their business be materially affected.

 

The Member confirmed that the business has spent a significant amount of money to soundproof as much of the premises as possible and that he does not know if the money will make the business able to operate at reasonable hours. He believed that the funding would represent a business improvement and improve their productivity by being able to work longer hours, however he sees both sides of the argument.

 

Franca Currall, Solicitor, highlighted that the grants are there to help businesses grow and reach out to new audiences, however the request for a grant is to address an ongoing issue which does not fall under the criteria of the scheme.

 

The Chairman confirmed he was minded to award the grant, however thought not following the Solicitor’s information.

 

The Member believed it would be better if the application had provided more detail to better consider the grant given that it is an important decision. He appreciated it is taxpayer’s money and wanted to make the most informed decision.

 

The Chairman took the Panel to vote to approve the recommendations in the report, excluding the deferred application from Hypertune and the applications from Koorana Centre, Coaching with Nisanka and Kell & Collins.

 

Members were supportive of the recommendations.

 

[Cllr Hillier was removed from the discussion and voting at 4:38pm]

 

The Chairman took the Panel to vote to approve the recommendations in the report for the applications from Koorana Centre, Coaching with Nisanka and Kell & Collins.

 

Members were supportive of the recommendations.

 

RESOLVED

 

The Cabinet Grants Panel agreed:

 

1. That a Micro Business Grant of £1,000 be awarded to Couture & Tiaras Bridal to fund the launch of a new product range and premises improvements.

 

2. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to BetterBio Health Limited to fund digital advertising to promote sales growth and customer education.

 

3. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to T&B Events Ltd to fund the upgrading IT Equipment to improve efficiency.

 

4. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to RLS Recruitment Solutions Ltd to fund a targeted marketing plan and strategy to generate inbound clients.

 

5. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to Aprimatic Automation Ltd to fund marketing and advertising to introduce a better follow up service to customers.

 

6. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to The Perrymount Clinic to fund the development and marketing of a new online mother and baby help course.

 

7. That a Micro Business Grant of £1,162 be awarded to Domum Project Management Ltd to fund the set up costs to purchase equipment, software and training to launch project and contract management services.

 

8. That a Micro Business Grant of £500 be awarded to The Remake Store to fund the website setup and marketing for a new sustainable fashion shop.

 

9. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to Burgess Hill Business Park Association Ltd to fund website development to support business engagement, improve functionality and operational efficiency.

 

10. That a Micro Business Grant of £1,000 be awarded to Lesley Burdett Photography to fund website, marketing and equipment to reach new customers and improve business premises to offer product shoots.

 

11. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to Nuevo Staffing to fund the website re-brand, marketing and equipment to build a new arm to the business and target new groups.

 

12. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to Jon Hair Fashions Ltd to fund premises improvements and new equipment to fit and utilise part of the space to offer coffee shop.

 

13. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to Its Sew Vintage to fund premises improvements to refurbish interior and new paving outside the front area of the shop.

 

14. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to Whitebox Products to fund the design and build of a custom machine to expand its range of eco-friendly products.

 

15. That a Micro Business Grant of £1,480 be awarded to Apple Barn Creative to fund equipment, premises improvements, website development and marketing to diversify the business to offer a new service.

 

16. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to Custom Gifts Limited to fund new equipment (Laser Engraver), staff training, recruitment and safety equipment to improve productivity.

 

17. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to Coaching with Nisanka to fund a website and new product development costs for a new 'one to many' coaching course.

 

18. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to JV Horticulture Ltd to fund the purchase of a larger trailer and additional tools to take on additional contracts and potentially an employee.

 

19. That a Micro Business Grant of £1,845 be awarded to HM Veterinary Physiotherapy to fund the purchase of a therapeutic laser to add to the range of treatments currently offered.

 

20. That a Micro Business Grant of £1,600 be awarded to i-tech Links Ltd to fund the purchase of new equipment (Laser machine for gadget repair and commercial printer) to increase revenue and productivity.

 

21. That a Micro Business Grant of £900 be awarded to Aquaonic Life CIC Ltd to fund the purchase of an IT build and development of a new online platform.

 

22. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to Better Catering Ltd to fund website development, equipment and training converting part of the business to retail operations and ecommerce platform.

 

23. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to Conquest Hard Landscaping Ltd to fund website development, logo development and new branding (uniforms / vehicles) to extend design services offered.

 

24. That a Micro Business Grant of £1,215 be awarded to Armchair Tasting Tours LLP to fund advertising, licences, website design and build new equipment to launch new Armchair Tasting Tours business.

 

25. That a Micro Business Grant of £1,052 be awarded to RMK Portable Appliance Testing LTD to fund new equipment (testers and laptops) and training for two employees.

 

26. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to Kell & Collins to fundpremises expansion and fit out a larger unit, extending product range and services.

 

27. That a Micro Business Grant of £450 be awarded to Search Engine Expert Near Me to fund the design and delivery of a direct marketing campaign to launch and promote the new business.

 

28. That a Micro Business Grant of £1,900 be awarded to Fresh Display Ltd to fund a brand strategy and website development including copywriting to reach new customers and add e-commerce element.

 

29. That a Micro Business Grant of £1,150 be awarded to Ellie Ford Music to fund website development, new equipment and venue to host online concerts from website.

 

30. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to No.1 Broad Street Ltd to fund the refurbishment of premises to set up new restaurant including air conditioning, heating, extraction system, rewire electrics to current regulations.

 

31. That a Micro Business Grant of £750 be awarded to Charlotte's Gifts to fund the set up of a website to reach wider audience and improve the office working area with a new computer equipment and office equipment.

 

32. That a Micro Business Grant of £900 be awarded to Active Staffing Solutions Limited to fund the purchase of a CRM system, improved website, new laptops, printers and a marketing campaign to attract new clients and grow the business.

 

33. That a Micro Business Grant of £890 be awarded to The Koorana Centre to fund specialist marketing, a SEO package and a campaign to promote a new mental health support programme.

 

34. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to My Sherpa Programmes Ltd to fund marketing to attract new customers and the development of a new 'Build Back Better' service for new and existing clients.

 

35. That a Micro Business Grant of £1,050 be awarded to Newman Electrical Services (South East) Ltd to fund further specialist training and equipment for a new employee to enable him to become more qualified.

 

36. That a Micro Business Grant of £155 be awarded to Red Pigeon Media to fund a digital marketing campaign advertising spend to generate more client enquiries across Google and social media.

 

37. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to ScreenStories to fund the purchase of equipment to launch business, specifically towards the cost of an industry standard editing computer.

 

38. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to Paper Plus to fund a new online platform to integrate systems and marketing data to increase and improve relevance of database.

 

39. That a Micro Business Grant of £1,250 be awarded to Soror to fund the renovation of the store front and shop sign for the new salon business.

 

40. That a Micro Business Grant of £1,500 be awarded to The People Magic Company Ltd to fund the development of a digital strategy and grow the business’ digital presence including specialist marketing support, materials and equipment.

 

41. That a Micro Business Grant of £895 be awarded to The Elegant Feast to fund the purchase of a commercial freezer and professional cool boxes and insurance to develop frozen chef made meal delivery service.

 

42. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to TEFLPA Ltd to fund website development and SEO/marketing to increase online presence, reach new customers and onboard more tutors.

 

43. That a Micro Business Grant of £1,575 be awarded to CM Group (West Sussex) Ltd t/a Fatma's Kitchen to fund a social Media campaign and management to increase exposure of the restaurant and reach new customers.

 

44. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to Innervalues Limited to fund premises improvements to fit out unit to refurbish, repair and restore furniture.

 

45. That a Micro Business Grant of £550 be awarded to Scrapless CIC to fund market stalls and pop up shops.

 

46. That a Micro Business Grant of £2,000 be awarded to Reab Physical Health to fund premises improvements to diversify and grow the business including offering flexible space to other allied medical practitioners.

 

47. That no Micro Business Grant be awarded to EcoStim as the business is located outside the District.

 

48. That no Micro Business Grant be awarded to Ballueder Partners Ltd as the business is located outside the District.

 

49. That no Micro Business Grant be awarded to Hyper-Tune as the application was deferred to the next meeting of the Panel following a request for further information on the project.

 

50. That no Micro Business Grant be awarded to Sixstarworld Ltd as the business was awarded Covid-19 grant funding in first round of scheme.

 

51. That no Micro Business Grant be awarded to Sportif International Ltd as the business is located outside the District.

 

52. That no Micro Business Grant be awarded to Harmony at Home Limited as the project is not eligible.

 

53. That no Micro Business Grant be awarded to Strategic Marcomms Consultancy as the business was awarded Covid-19 grant funding in first round of scheme.

 

54. That no Micro Business Grant be awarded to Hopeful London as the project is not eligible.

 

55. That no Micro Business Grant be awarded to Business Brains Ltd as the business is located outside the District.

 

56. That no Micro Business Grant be awarded to Bob's Community Cafe Ltd as the project is not eligible.

 

57. That no Micro Business Grant be awarded to Kitchens Bespoke as the business is a returning applicant from 2019/20.

 

58. That no Micro Business Grant be awarded to Sussex Tuition Centre as the business is not a micro business.

 

59. That no Micro Business Grant be awarded to Tea Thyme Ltd as the project does not meet the criteria.

 

60. That no Micro Business Grant be awarded to DM Grounds Maintenance as the business is a returning applicant from 2019/20.

 

61. That no Micro Business Grant be awarded to Newtryx Limited as the business is a returning applicant from 2019/20.