Business Recovery Package
To help those businesses affected by the recent disturbances that took place in the City Centre and in other areas of Birmingham we wish to announce details of a package of support that Birmingham City Council, the Government and other agencies are offering.
The Business Recovery Package is funded by the Department of Communities and Local Government through its “High Street Support Scheme” and co-ordinated by Birmingham City Council’s Business Development & Innovation Team.
The key elements of the package of support are:
• Business Rates Hardship Relief
• Financial Recovery Fund
• Security Improvement Scheme
• Business Advisor Support
• Backing Birmingham Marketing Campaign - Extended to 31st December 2011
BUSINESS RATES HARDSHIP RELIEF
Businesses which pay rates to Birmingham City Council can apply for reduction in their business rates for the period of 6th August to 31st March 2012. Applicants will need to demonstrate hardship as a result of these disturbances. Further details and an application form are available on the Business Rates page.
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FINANCIAL RECOVERY FUND
The Financial Recovery Fund is open to any Birmingham* small medium sized enterprise (SME) business based within the areas that were affected by civil disorder after 6th August 2011: City Centre, Aston, Newtown, Handsworth, Handsworth Wood, Lozells, Perry Barr and Winson Green
* Applicants must be based within Birmingham, i.e., pay rates to Birmingham City Council.
The Financial Recovery Fund is aimed at helping affected small and medium-sized businesses recover from the impact of the recent disorder more swiftly than they would be able to do so without additional assistance. Businesses can apply for a grant to recoup costs that cannot be recovered from elsewhere.
To be eligible for this grant, businesses must have insurance and must have suffered damage/looting as a direct result of the disturbances.
Eligible expenditure includes:
• Insurance excess
• Any items which are not covered by business insurance or Riot Damages Act
• Marketing material and business recovery activity
• Upgrading of security measures
Please note that loss of earnings cannot be claimed as part of this scheme.
The level of grant funding awarded is up to 100% of eligible project expenditure.
Grant payments are issued as a reimbursement of eligible expenditure by the business and will only be paid on production of relevant evidence. Therefore all approved grants MUST be spent and claimed by the 9th December 2011.
We are pleased to announce that Birmingham City Council’s Planning Committee has agreed a plan to allow shops to install roller shutters and apply for planning permission retrospectively. This concession will remain in place for a period of 6 months. However, the alterations will still need to comply with the Council's Shopfront Design Guide below.
WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE FINANCIAL RECOVERY FUND
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SECURITY IMPROVEMENT SCHEME
The Security improvement Scheme (SIS) is open to any Birmingham* small medium sized enterprise (SME) business based within the areas that were affected by civil disorder after 6th August 2011: City Centre, Aston, Newtown, Handsworth, Handsworth Wood, Lozells, Perry Barr and Winson Green
* Applicants must be based within Birmingham, i.e., pay rates to Birmingham City Council.
The SIS grant is specifically to assist towards low cost installation or upgrade of:
• CCTV
• Shutters**
• Alarm Systems
• Other relevant security measures
** Planning permission is required for the installation of external security shutters. This would usually be required before the shutters are installed, but in light of the urgent need for these items, this stipulation has been waived. However, the shutters still have to adhere to the City Council's specifications and permission still has to be applied for and granted. Further details on this process can be found in the Council's Planning Department's Shop front Design Guide (section 5, page 23).
The level of grant funding awarded is 75% of eligible project expenditure up to a maximum of£5,000. To receive the maximum allowable grant, therefore, project costs should total at least £6,670.
Grant payments are issued as a reimbursement of eligible expenditure by the business and will only be paid on production of relevant evidence. Therefore all approved grants MUST be spent and claimed by the 9th December 2011.
We are pleased to announce that Birmingham City council’s Planning Committee has agreed a plan to allow shops to install roller shutters and apply for planning permission retrospectively. The concession will remain in place for a period of 6 months until January 2012. However, the alterations will still need to comply with the Council’s Shopfront Design Guide.
WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE SECURITY IMPROVEMENT SCHEME
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BUSINESS ADVISOR SUPPORT
The Business Advisor Support is open to any Birmingham* small medium sized enterprise (SME) business based within the areas that were affected by civil disorder after 6th August 2011: City Centre, Aston, Newtown, Handsworth, Handsworth Wood, Lozells, Perry Barr and Winson Green
* Applicants must be based within Birmingham, i.e., pay rates to Birmingham City Council
We have held 4 drop-in sessions across the City offering advice from specialist business advisors on business plans, marketing strategies and access to finance with a view to developing a strategy to recover from the effects of the disturbances.
THE BUSINESS ADVISOR SUPPORT IS NOW CLOSED
For further details please email at: businessrecovery@birmingham.gov.uk or call on 0121 464 8164.
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BACKING BIRMINGHAM MARKETING CAMPAIGN
A major initiative designed to help restore public confidence in the City Centre, local high streets and to help promote independent retailers and businesses, was launched on 5th October 2011.
Devised by Birmingham City Council, the People Make Places campaign will help to promote local shopping areas in the wake of last month’s disturbances. The £310k cost of the campaign is funded from the Government’s High Street Support Scheme to help cities affected by the recent disturbances.
To support the promotion, a series of posters featuring local people taking part in the campaign has started appearing on billboards, buses and poster sites throughout the city.
The initiative sees the introduction of a free special loyalty card, known as the B Card, which will give Birmingham residents special offers at participating independent businesses until 31st December 2011.
Participating stores will display ‘Backing Birmingham’ signs in their windows, with many businesses already taking part in the scheme.
To find out more about the Backing Birmingham campaign, visit www.backingbirmingham.com
This campaign complements the Business Recovery Scheme, launched by Birmingham City Council to provide financial support to businesses affected by the disturbances.
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RETROSPECTIVE PLANNING PERMISSION
We are pleased to announce that Birmingham City council’s Planning Committee has agreed a plan to allow shops to install roller shutters and apply for planning permission retrospectively. The concession will remain in place for a period of 6 months until January 2012. However, the alterations will still need to comply with the Council’s Shopfront Design Guide.
Details of all the support available can be found on the attached bulletins along with application forms and guidance notes for the grants. New bulletins will be issued regularly as more information becomes available.
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CONTACT DETAILS
For further information, please call: 0121 464 8164 or alternatively email: businessrecovery@birmingham.gov.uk
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