Wychavon Business Growth Grant Application

Important: Please read the eligibility criteria and terms and conditions below first, before applying.

Introduction

The aim of the grant is to help growing Wychavon based businesses which have been trading for more than one year to make a step change in their development.

Successful applicants will be offered a grant of up to £1000 which must be match-funded, pound for pound, from the business’s own resources. One grant per business only will be awarded on a first come first served basis.

Only businesses which show specific promise and clearly demonstrate how the award will make a measurable difference will be recommended for a grant.

The scheme is aimed at small business development projects that do not qualify for or are too small for UK Shared Prosperity or Rural Fund grant programmes. Applicants can confirm if their project is eligible for these programmes by contacting the Worcestershire Growth Hub or call 01905 677888.

If you need help completing this form then please call Shawn Riley on 01386 565518 or email shawn.riley@wychavon.gov.uk

Eligibility criteria

• The business must:
• Be located within Wychavon district.
• Have been trading for at least 1 year.
• Have at least 1 FTE employee and less than 250 employees.
• Have the ability to make a cash match funding contribution of at least 50% towards the costs of the proposed project/investment. The match funding must be used towards the cost of the project/investment and must be from the business’s own resources.
• Have all the necessary permissions and licenses to operate.
• Hold a business bank account (a ‘trading as’ account is acceptable).
• Include two quotations for the products or services to be purchased.
• Give consent for Wychavon District Council to involve it in publicity e.g. press releases and photographs.
• Agree to take part in any monitoring and produce relevant information as requested at 6 and 12 months after the grant is paid.
• Not have any outstanding debts payable to Wychavon District Council. A check will be made and if it is found that debts exist the council reserves the right to
  withhold grant payment until they are cleared.
• The business will be expected to have a business plan.

Eligible expenditure

When completing your application form, please tell us about your project plans and how the grant will help in making a difference. Your information should include a copy of last year’s accounts if possible, or other trading information if you do not have your first year’s accounts.

Please include a description of how the grant will assist
you in, for example:

• Helping the business access new markets.
• Creating new jobs.
• Bringing forward an important business plan objective.
• Improving the skills of owners or employees.
• Purchasing essential or important equipment which will improve the business’s viability.
• Helping to overcome a specific problem which is obstructing progress.

Only capital expenditure on an approved project is eligible. As a general rule capital expenditure can be defined as expenditure where the benefits last more than 12 months.

The grant may not be used for:

• Recurring revenue costs (including salaries, stock, rent, utility charges, subscriptions, licenses).
• Repaying existing loans or debts.
• The reimbursement of goods/services already purchased prior to the date of an offer letter.
• Items subject to hire/lease agreements.
• Activities that may bring Wychavon District Council into disrepute.

Assessing the application

A panel will be responsible for considering each application. We will make a grant offer in accordance with the terms and conditions of the scheme. Each application
will be judged on its own merits with regard to how well it meets the scheme’s aims and eligibility criteria and its ability to be implemented within the set timescales. We will not enter into a commitment until formal acceptance of the grant.

Deciding on the application

Notification of a decision on the application will be made in writing to the applicant. An offer of a grant will be made by an offer of grant letter, which will specify the:

• Eligible applicant.
• Eligible goods/services to be purchased.
• Approved cost calculated in accordance with one of the quotations submitted with the application.
• Ability of the business to match fund the proposed project.
• Maximum amount of grant awarded.
• Date by which the project should be completed.

The grant payment will only be made on production of relevant receipted invoices. Our decision is final. We reserve the right to vary the level of grant or reject an application.

The offer of a grant

An offer of a grant must be accepted within 21 days of receipt of the offer letter by returning a copy of the grant letter signed by the applicant. After this date the offer will be automatically withdrawn. The applicant will then have to re-apply if they still wish to proceed after this date.

All goods/services should be purchased/completed by the date specified in the offer letter and receipted invoices received as soon as possible to facilitate payment of the grant.

The grant aided project

1. The grant is not retrospective and cannot be used for the reimbursement of goods/services already purchased before the date of the offer letter.
   
   
2. No grant aided work is to be carried out other than in accordance with the agreed project outlined in the application and as agreed in the offer letter.
   
   
3. We must be notified immediately of any variations needed to the agreed offer and before any variation to the application takes place.
   
   
4. Variations to the agreement must be approved in writing prior to such work commencing. We reserve the right to refuse the grant for changes to the specification which it deems not appropriate for the scheme.
   
   
5. Where the applicant proposes to change supplier of goods/services, we reserve the right to request fresh estimates if not already received.
   
   
6. Approved schemes must be completed by the date specified in the offer letter unless agreed otherwise by us. The applicant must inform us immediately if the deadline cannot be met. We will then consider the most appropriate action but are under no obligation to alter the conditions in the original offer letter and therefore, no obligation to offer assistance for works undertaken after the original deadline date.

Payment of the grant

• Grants are discretionary and we reserve the right to withhold payment of the grant in whole or part if any condition of the offer letter has been breached.
• The applicant must inform us upon completion of the works.
• The applicant must submit the claim for grant assistance within one month of the completion date as stated in the offer letter.
• Payment will be subject to the applicant having satisfactorily completed the project and complied with all the terms and conditions of the scheme.
• If the actual costs are less than those outlined in the application and agreed in the offer letter payment will be restricted to the actual amount in accordance with the receipted invoices.
• If the costs of the proposed project exceed the maximum grant awarded as agreed in the offer letter, we are not obliged to increase the grant amount. Increases to the grant payment will only be made in exceptional cases.
• Payment of the grant will only be made when we receive copies of paid invoices for the approved grant from the applicant. Invoices dated before the date of the offer letter will not be eligible for payment.
• Payment of the grant will be made direct into the applicant’s business bank account (or ‘trading as’ account) via BACS.

VAT

Applicants who are VAT registered will have their grant assessed on the net cost of eligible projects; non-registered applicants on the gross cost. If the applicant does not know whether they are VAT registered or not they must seek advice from HM Revenue & Customs.

Wychavon District Council liability

Wychavon District Council, its officers and agents shall not at any time be held liable to any person in relation to any loss or damage arising, either directly or indirectly, as a result of compliance by the applicant with these terms and conditions of grant. Award of the grant does not imply that we are expressing a view regarding the business or its products, nor that they accept responsibility for any debts or liabilities incurred by the applicant, the business or the business associates.

Repayment of the grant

The council reserves the right to recover all or part of the grant it has provided if:

• The business is sold or ceases to trade for whatever reason within a 52 week period from receipt of the grant.
• The business relocates outside the boundaries of Wychavon district within a 52 week period from receipt of the grant.
• Any information provided in the application form or other correspondence is found to be substantially incorrect, misleading or incomplete.
• The applicant fails to comply with any of the terms and conditions of this scheme.

If you have read the eligibility criteria and terms and conditions above and agree to them then please tick the box below and proceed to complete the form, in full, on the following page. Your application cannot proceed without all the information requested being supplied.

If your business is a branch of, or is affiliated to, any other parent company, please provide details below (including business name and headquarters address).

1. I have provided Wychavon District Council with copies of quotations for any goods/services to be purchased in support of my application.
2. I confirm that my business has all the necessary permissions and licences to operate.
3. I confirm that I am responsible for all goods/services/works carried out as a result of the award of this grant and will ensure that any works comply with all relevant regulations and legislation.
4. I understand that any goods/services purchased are to be completed within the date specified in the offer letter.
5. I consent to all documentation submitted being made available for Wychavon District Council use. I understand that any personal information provided on this form will be used to process the application and may be used to monitor the support of the project. Personal data will only be held in accordance with Data Protection legislation. Read our privacy notice for more information. I also understand the council is bound by the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
6. I consent to the council carrying out checks to ascertain whether I have any outstanding debts owed to Wychavon District Council. I understand that if it is found that such debts exist Wychavon reserves the right to withhold grant payment until such debts are cleared.
7. I agree to take part in any monitoring at 6 and 12 months after the grant is paid which will help the council to assess the success of the overall grant scheme.
8. I give consent to Wychavon District Council to involve the business in publicity, e.g. press releases and photographs.
9. I do not object to Wychavon District Council seeking information from other sections of the council or other public sector bodies.
10. I understand that Wychavon District Council reserves the right to recover the entire grant if any information supplied is found to be inaccurate or misleading or if I am found to have improperly tried to influence the decision of any officer or Elected Member of Wychavon District Council in the award of a grant. In the event that I am requested to repay the funds to Wychavon District Council I will do so within a period of 30 days.
11. I have read and understand the criteria for application and the accompanying notes and agree to comply with the principles of the Wychavon District Council Business Growth Grant scheme. I am aware that false declarations will invalidate my application.
12. I understand that any payment will be made directly into my business bank account through the Bank Automated Clearance System.
13. I understand that Wychavon District Council is under a duty to protect the public funds it administers. The council may check information provided to it, with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds and with other information it holds, in order to prevent and detect fraud.
14. I undertake not to do anything to bring the council’s reputation and/or standing into disrepute or attract adverse publicity for the council.
15. I confirm that the details given in this application are full and accurate.