Decision details

This scheme sits within the Rebuilding Business Pillar of the West of England Recovery Plan.

The scheme opened for applications on the 22 March 2021 for a 2 week period, closing on 4 April, with the submission of over 2,000 applications via the online application system.

The assessment process resulted in a recommendation that £916,111 should be awarded to 182 businesses; this would generate an additional £500,000 in match funding, and an expected employment uplift of 272 new jobs and 798 safeguarded (a more detailed overview of the applications received and approved is included in Appendix 1).

The applications recommended for approval cover a broad range of sectors, products and services including ICT equipment (both manufacturing and creative industry based), machine tooling, support for marketing campaigns/strategies for new products/services and the development of new business educational services. A number of CICs and established local organisations were also recommended for funding, extending the reach of the fund into the wider communities of the region.

The Chief Executives of the WECA constituent councils were consulted on this proposal and were in agreement with the decision.

Approval given to the Business Growth grant recommendations (see detail in Appendix 1), i.e. a total award of £916,111 to be distributed to 182 businesses, noting the generation of an additional £500,000 in match funding and expected employment uplift of 272 new jobs and 798 safeguarded.

Not applicable in relation to this specific decision, i.e. this was the option considered.