118 Business Grants
To consider and receive the report of the Director (Business, Development and Growth).
Additional documents:
Decision:
To note and approve the attached revisions of the existing business grant eligibility and creation of proposed new grants: Strawberry Fields Digital Hub grant and Chorley Apprenticeship grant.
Minutes:
Councillor Alistair Bradley, Executive Member (Economic Development and Public Service Reform), presented the confidential report of the Director (Business, Development and Growth) which seeks approval of revisions to the existing business grant eligibility and creation of two new business grants.
Decision:
To note and approve the attached revisions of the existing business grant eligibility and creation of proposed new grants: Strawberry Fields Digital Hub grant and Chorley Apprenticeship grant.
Reasons for Recommendation(s):
Revision to the existing business grant eligibility would make the uptake of the Chorley BIG and Choose Chorley grant more appealing to businesses and to encourage further applications.
Creation of two new business grants including a Strawberry Fields Digital Hub and Chorley Apprenticeship grant would incentivise businesses to locate/relocate to Strawberry Fields Digital Hub and encourage employers to create apprenticeship opportunities for 18-24 year olds, given the lack of support for this younger age bracket, nationally.
Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:
Not making the changes to these grants would result in fewer businesses in being able to apply for assistance from Chorley Council and investment in the borough not being made or going elsewhere. The impact of not creating the new apprenticeship grant would have the effect of potentially fewer job opportunities being created for 19-24 year olds within the borough. Where these opportunities are made as degree apprenticeships the result could be a young person leaving the area to continue their higher education and not return to the area to the detriment of the local economy.