Rishi threw a lifeline but Local Councils ****ing it up...

[TVR1]

Possibly one of the only good things to come out of this mess is SEISS. Yes, it’s flawed and a bit messy. At last, many self employed who were left out are now included. I’m screwed for a few weeks but a couple of people have just jumped in to help me..

However, Local Councils?

They’ve been given £1.6 Billion to support business that had to shut down. Specifically business that don’t have rateable premises, not just entertainment industry. Guess how much has been given out since Oct?

Very simple criteria.

I’m in Hounslow. Enfield LA is criminal.

Why are Local Authorities holding on to the money?

Oh! Its because the grant funds don’t go back to central funding, if not disbursed.

https://www.conference-news.co.uk/coronavirus-upda...

Edited by TVR1 on Saturday 6th March 19:13

[turbobloke]

Misconduct in public office? Wilfully neglecting to perform duty?

[TVR1]

turbobloke said:

Misconduct in public office? Wilfully neglecting to perform duty?

No idea but it’s appalling.

Enfield (on the list) has successfully managed to disburse 0% of funds they had in Oct.


They’re only, on Monday, opening applications for the 1st lot of grants that should’ve been available in November.

Ealing too.

Bradford?

£15 million and not a single penny given out.

Edited by TVR1 on Saturday 6th March 19:16

[Turbo cab]

TVR1 said:

No idea but it’s appalling.

Enfield (on the list) has successfully managed to disburse 0% of funds they had in Oct.


They’re only, on Monday, opening applications for the 1st lot of grants that should’ve been available in November.

Ealing too.

Bradford?

£15 million and not a single penny given out.

Edited by TVR1 on Saturday 6th March 19:16

Enfield... Wasn't that the mayor that got cought out meeting his buddies whilst on a bike ride and then claiming they were testing the cycle lanes....

This comes as no suprise.

[TVR1]

Turbo cab said:

TVR1 said:

No idea but it’s appalling.

Enfield (on the list) has successfully managed to disburse 0% of funds they had in Oct.


They’re only, on Monday, opening applications for the 1st lot of grants that should’ve been available in November.

Ealing too.

Bradford?

£15 million and not a single penny given out.

Edited by TVR1 on Saturday 6th March 19:16

Enfield... Wasn't that the mayor that got cought out meeting his buddies whilst on a bike ride and then claiming they were testing the cycle lanes....

This comes as no suprise.

Allegedly some hookers. But I say Allegedly.

[Shotgun Jon]

Head of Revenues here for large local authority.

With regards to BEIS’ addition restrictions grant fund, BEIS specifically told local authorities the funding has to last until March 2022 much to our amazement and that once is was spent there would be no more. That’s 2022!!

So, as most businesses are currently being supported by LRGS funding most Authorities opted to save their ARG funding as it needs to last until 2022.

So, get your facts right, council are not messing it up. They are doing as instructed.

Quite why BEIS decided to publish league tables is a question for them.

[55palfers]

Shotgun Jon said:

Head of Revenues here for large local authority.

With regards to BEIS’ addition restrictions grant fund, BEIS specifically told local authorities the funding has to last until March 2022 much to our amazement and that once is was spent there would be no more. That’s 2022!!

So, as most businesses are currently being supported by LRGS funding most Authorities opted to save their ARG funding as it needs to last until 2022.

So, get your facts right, council are not messing it up. They are doing as instructed.

Quite why BEIS decided to publish league tables is a question for them.

Don't folk need help now though? 2022 is a long way off.

[TVR1]

Shotgun Jon said:

Head of Revenues here for large local authority.

With regards to BEIS’ addition restrictions grant fund, BEIS specifically told local authorities the funding has to last until March 2022 much to our amazement and that once is was spent there would be no more. That’s 2022!!

So, as most businesses are currently being supported by LRGS funding most Authorities opted to save their ARG funding as it needs to last until 2022.

So, get your facts right, council are not messing it up. They are doing as instructed.

Quite why BEIS decided to publish league tables is a question for them.

They’re not.

The funding is specifically set up for businesses that don’t qualify for LRG. Many LAs are making up the rules as they go along.

That’s all very well but how do you explain some LA’s not actually giving out the grant at all? For over 4 months.

League tables are good, for pointing out which LA’s are sitting on their arses and not actually doing anything.

I applied for an ARG in January. I didn’t even get past the 1st page as ‘no rateable premises’. Contrary to what Govmnt instructions are. I reapplied last week, guess what? Application accepted. Somethings changed.

Edited by TVR1 on Sunday 7th March 12:53

[Shotgun Jon]

55palfers said:

Shotgun Jon said:

Head of Revenues here for large local authority.

With regards to BEIS’ addition restrictions grant fund, BEIS specifically told local authorities the funding has to last until March 2022 much to our amazement and that once is was spent there would be no more. That’s 2022!!

So, as most businesses are currently being supported by LRGS funding most Authorities opted to save their ARG funding as it needs to last until 2022.

So, get your facts right, council are not messing it up. They are doing as instructed.

Quite why BEIS decided to publish league tables is a question for them.

Don't folk need help now though? 2022 is a long way off.

Yes, which is why they are getting LRSG.

[Shotgun Jon]

TVR1 said:

Shotgun Jon said:

Head of Revenues here for large local authority.

With regards to BEIS’ addition restrictions grant fund, BEIS specifically told local authorities the funding has to last until March 2022 much to our amazement and that once is was spent there would be no more. That’s 2022!!

So, as most businesses are currently being supported by LRGS funding most Authorities opted to save their ARG funding as it needs to last until 2022.

So, get your facts right, council are not messing it up. They are doing as instructed.

Quite why BEIS decided to publish league tables is a question for them.

They’re not.

The funding is specifically set up for businesses that don’t qualify for LRG. Many LAs are making up the rules as they go along.

That’s all very well but how do you explain some LA’s not actually giving out the grant at all? For over 4 months.

League tables are good, for pointing out which LA’s are sitting on their arses and not actually doing anything.

I applied for an ARG in January. I didn’t even get past the 1st page as ‘no rateable premises’. Contrary to what Govmnt instructions are. I reapplied last week, guess what? Application accepted. Somethings changed.

Edited by TVR1 on Sunday 7th March 12:53

I’ll agree with some of that, BEIS have given LAs full discretion hence the postcode lottery. We’ve paid out or committed most of our LRGS so I can’t comment on the other LA’s but I don’t know what we were told by BEIS about making it last until March 2022. Our scheme did cover those businesses which operated from premises which aren’t rateable, shared spaces and those that are on rent inclusive of rates leases.

Suspect your LA had a first round of applications, didn’t spend it so opened it up and relaxed the criteria.

[TVR1]

Shotgun Jon said:

TVR1 said:

Shotgun Jon said:

Head of Revenues here for large local authority.

With regards to BEIS’ addition restrictions grant fund, BEIS specifically told local authorities the funding has to last until March 2022 much to our amazement and that once is was spent there would be no more. That’s 2022!!

So, as most businesses are currently being supported by LRGS funding most Authorities opted to save their ARG funding as it needs to last until 2022.

So, get your facts right, council are not messing it up. They are doing as instructed.

Quite why BEIS decided to publish league tables is a question for them.

They’re not.

The funding is specifically set up for businesses that don’t qualify for LRG. Many LAs are making up the rules as they go along.

That’s all very well but how do you explain some LA’s not actually giving out the grant at all? For over 4 months.

League tables are good, for pointing out which LA’s are sitting on their arses and not actually doing anything.

I applied for an ARG in January. I didn’t even get past the 1st page as ‘no rateable premises’. Contrary to what Govmnt instructions are. I reapplied last week, guess what? Application accepted. Somethings changed.

Edited by TVR1 on Sunday 7th March 12:53

I’ll agree with some of that, BEIS have given LAs full discretion hence the postcode lottery. We’ve paid out or committed most of our LRGS so I can’t comment on the other LA’s but I don’t know what we were told by BEIS about making it last until March 2022. Our scheme did cover those businesses which operated from premises which aren’t rateable, shared spaces and those that are on rent inclusive of rates leases.

Suspect your LA had a first round of applications, didn’t spend it so opened it up and relaxed the criteria.

But we’re not talking about LRGs. In my case, it’s Hounslow. On the list. £7 million and only given out £750k. My suspicion isn’t that it’s opened up with more relaxed criteria, more that someone has actually pointed out that their interpretation of the guidelines was incorrect. My ‘premises’ are my car.

To be fair though, I only applied for end of Dec-Jan. I could’ve applied for the earlier periods but it’s only now that I need it, so recognise the funds are limited and there are people who also are really struggling.

Enfield is a disgrace. How does an LA only open (and get away with it) the 1st round of grants 5 months after they received the funds?

[Biggus thingus]

I saw this and emailed my local Leeds councilor to query it

He's denied the figure is accurate and has assured me he'll send me some stats

He did state that £2.5 million of the fund (£23 million) is going to the taxi trade!

[TVR1]

Biggus thingus said:

I saw this and emailed my local Leeds councilor to query it

He's denied the figure is accurate and has assured me he'll send me some stats

He did state that £2.5 million of the fund (£23 million) is going to the taxi trade!

Yup, it would be interesting what he says as the figures are directly from the Local Authorities under a freedom of information request.

[Shotgun Jon]

TVR1 said:

Biggus thingus said:

I saw this and emailed my local Leeds councilor to query it

He's denied the figure is accurate and has assured me he'll send me some stats

He did state that £2.5 million of the fund (£23 million) is going to the taxi trade!

Yup, it would be interesting what he says as the figures are directly from the Local Authorities under a freedom of information request.

I think you’ll find the data is from the 18th January Delta returns that Councils send to BEIS. The data published on the .gov website is anyway.

[TVR1]

I’ve just had an update from the missus about Enfield, now that applications have opened up.

She applied today.

Want bank statements for 3 months. Proof of paying business rates. No mention of a reference period for loss of income.

Are they that incompetent that they don’t know who the ARG fund is designed to help?

[Biggus thingus]

TVR1 said:

Yup, it would be interesting what he says as the figures are directly from the Local Authorities under a freedom of information request.

Guess what? After questioning the accuracy of the figures last week he came back last night and admitted that the figures are correct!

The reason - Leeds was given a large local restriction grant a few weeks before the ARG came out. The "small team of staff have the task of allocating these grant locally, through a robust decision making process"

"This means a slight delay in getting grants out, and with the large local restrictions grant that most other areas did'nt get we in Leeds have been getting that out to businesses since Oct/Nov, then the ARG came too"

Basically, trying to make out they have too much money and can't get it out to those who need it in a reasonable time frame

Could'nt make it up!

I think this stinks and clearly shows they've been sitting on their hands while businesses have suffered

I won't be letting this go!!