Lincolnshire County Council will be the first authority in the UK to dip into a £52.6 million financial volatility reserve in order to support local businesses.
The authority’s executive on Tuesday agreed to put aside £12 million from the reserve for local businesses facing difficulties in the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside another £200,000 for an emergency flood response scheme.
A further £10 million will also be taken from the council’s capital programme to help repair rural roads.
The £12 million business funding breaks down into:
£7m grants for business not receiving government help whatsoever — including businesses started during the pandemic and those who have taken bounce-back loans from the government
£1m for vouchers of £1,000 to help businesses get onto digital platforms — e-commerce, contactless payment and websites
£1.5m for village businesses and local initiatives — £3-25,000 grants covering 75% diversification funds adapting to COVID-19/Brexit challenges
£2.5m for investment funds for rapid growth — mainly for young businesses with “great ideas” (grants between £25-75,000)
Executive member for economic development, Councillor Colin Davie said there were 43,0000 small business in the county, who “are the backbone of our economy”.
“They are the best of our county and they represent the opportunity of the future,” he said.
“We know that will be a high demand for the grant, and we may not be able to help everybody that makes an application, but if there was ever a time businesses in Lincolnshire needed our help, it’s now.”
Councillor Colin Davie, Executive Councillor for Economy and Place at Lincolnshire County Council. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
At the end of January, furlough take-up was 10.7% – around 35,700 people – below the national average of 12.6%.
The authority has so far handed out £227 million of grant funding, but says up to 2,000 businesses have been unable to claim support.
Councillor Davie’s proposals were backed by council leader Councillor Martin Hill, who said: “It has been exceptionally stressful for small businesses.
“Although the government has been very generous and given huge sums of money to support businesses […] there are unfortunately still some businesses which have fallen through the cracks and we need to support them.”
He added: “It’s not just about supporting those businesses to make sure they do survive, but also that they are in a good place to actually expand and invest.”
Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said the spend “sends a really powerful message that Lincolnshire County Council, with its financial reserves […] is in a position when times are very tough to candidly get the chequebook out.”
He said the £10 million for roads would go to the “core network” of roads which were the “lifeline of our communities”
“I’m afraid it’s fair to say that some of our smaller rural roads, while incredibly important for connecting our more isolated rural communities, are in need of some support, and I think now’s a great opportunity,” he said.
Lincoln High Street | Photo: The Lincolnite
Following the meeting of the executive, Katrina Pierce from the Federation of Small Businesses told a press conference the move was an “incredible intervention” from the county council.
“It’s the first scheme of its kind in the entire country and I think this really blazes a trail, and we are going to be pushing very hard for local parties across the UK to follow suit.
“What councillors have shown here is incredible leadership, and a definite recognition of the agony and frustration that so many business owners across the country have faced since the outbreak of COVID-19 and they can clearly see that many can wait no longer. “
The budget changes, along with proposals already agreed to increase council tax by 1.99%, will go before scrutiny committee before going to a vote at Full Council on Friday, February 19.
Once agreed, the grants will be offered in a staggered approach, with bosses hoping to start the first batch at 12pm on Tuesday 23 February, followed by the other schemes in early March.
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We want to see 750,000 trees planted around the county over the next few years.
The ambitious target is linked to the national 25-year Environment Plan, which aims to create or restore 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat.
Despite its reputation for being a green and rural county, Lincolnshire actually has one of the lowest tree coverage rates in the country at just four per cent, compared to an England average of 10 per cent.
Lincolnshire County Council has started to respond to this by supporting tree planting projects around the county. In the 2021/22 tree planting season we planted over 30,000 trees across Lincolnshire as part of community planting days and highways projects.
Dan Clayton, sustainability manager at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Historically, huge swathes of Lincolnshire have been used as arable agricultural land, and so the county hasn’t tended to have extensive woodland areas.
“Although much land still is used for farming, there is scope to increase Lincolnshire’s tree cover, and we’re keen to work with land owners, town and parish councils and community groups to support tree planting and help us reach the target of a tree for every resident.”
To keep track of our progress, we’ve installed a tree counter on our website. We also have a map so you can see where in Lincolnshire trees have all been planted so far.
If you plant a tree in your garden or on your land that you control, you can register it on the tree counter and it have it count towards the county’s tree planting target.
Any trees planted within Lincolnshire over the last 12 months can be registered and added to the total.
If you have a site that would be suitable to plant 300 or more trees and are interested in looking at tree planting options, then please register your interest on our website at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/xfp/form/744 or contact us on [email protected].
Lincolnshire County Council on Monday voted to drop two proposals for changes to the permit scheme along the Bailgate, which would have increased residents parking, but decreased the amount available to shoppers.
Chairman Ian Fleetwood called the area “jewel in the crown” of the city and that it was a “sensitive” decision as he put forward “Option C” – doing nothing – at the last minute.
Nicola Lockwood, owner of Bells Tea Shop and chairwoman of the Bailgate Area Guild, said: “We can’t believe it, we are in shock!
“I just feel for all the businesses and all our customers who supported us and have been behind us all the way through this.”
She said if the changes had occurred it would have seen businesses – already affected by other changes, the internet and COVID – close.
She warned fast-food chains were “already circling looking for anyone who wants to throw in the towel” – however, it is not known which chain this is.
Michelle Guest, who owns a childrens’ shoe shop, said she was “totally relieved, delighted.
“They’ve seen what we’re up against, they’ve seen exactly how it will impact the area and how it will impact the businesses.”
She said casual shoppers and visitors would have been most affected along with those who were less mobile. She claims having spaces on the street deterred people from going to out-of-town facilities.
Josie Rossington, who has run Folly for 18 years, said she was “absolutely elated”.
“We had so much support… far ranging, all from the bottom of Steep Hill to Newport.” They included a 7,000 signature petition.
“The amount of times we were told ‘they’re not locals’… it doesn’t matter where they come from, it would have affected everybody.”
“There are literally businesses that will not go under now because of this. It sounds very dramatic but it’s been a dramatic time which has affected everyone in lots of different ways.”
However, Carholme Councillor Rob Parker, whose ward covers part of the area affected, said residents would be “disappointed” by the decision.
“They put forward a lot of good, sound arguments about the need for residents’ parking in that part of the world, but unfortunately the planning committee didn’t agree.
“It’s surprising because the needs of the residents need to be considered just as much as the needs of businesses.”.
He said there would need to be “some form of review” in the future and that he, along with residents, would be examining whether another case could be brought with more evidence “to show how much residents are affected by not being able to park close to their own homes.”
He said many were already having to park further away from their homes due to other permit schemes being changed to omit them.
Ermine and Cathedral Ward Member Karen Lee said the scheme should have been “about fairness”.
“There are a couple of residents who are elderly and need space for their carers to park daily.
“There’s a woman who’s an acute practitioner, there’s somebody who’s a paramedic – there are all sorts of different people who wanted residents’ parking for very good reasons, and I didn’t think that committee gave that any thought whatsoever. They simply focused on the businesses.”
She said there was “plenty of parking” available with free parking available.
In response to the argument that people who bought their houses knew what they were paying for, she said: “in this day and age do we really think like that, that nothing should ever change and no one should ever reconsider a position and think well, actually, is that right? Because I don’t think that is right.”
The planning meeting in progress. | Image: Daniel Jaines
Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Ian Fleetwood said the decision was fair and listened to both sides of the community.
“Both the residents and businesses have put forward strong points of view… I believe it’s not a good time to move things forward,” he said.
“At the moment, there is a scheme in place. I don’t know if people are enjoying it or not, but it is a scheme that has been working for a period of time.
“If indeed there is an absolute need to change it. Well, that’s a good time to go, but at this moment in time, I don’t believe it’s the case.”
He said if circumstances changed there would be a case for a further review, however, did not see that happening in the short term.
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