FLOOD RECOVERY FUNDING

A COUNCIL committee has

endorsed a proposal calling

for the maximum amount of

flood support funding a

business can receive to be

increased.

On Monday, the Strategy, Policy and

Resources Committee held a special

meeting to formally agree that the

local authority administer the

Department for the Economy’s (DfE)

£10m Enhanced Flood Support

Scheme (EFSS) – as well as two

hardship schemes – for those affected

by last year’s floods.

However, it also gave its backing to

a proposal by Declan McAteer (SDLP,

Crotlieve) calling on Economy

Minister Conor Murphy to allow

businesses to apply for more than the

scheme’s current £100,000 limit.

The committee report noted that

the purpose of the EFSS grant is to

‘provide up to £100,000 additional

support to eligible businesses to help

them reopen and resume trading, or

remain open and continue trading’.

The £2,500 and £5,000 hardship

schemes have been set up to ‘provide

support to businesses and some other

non-domestic premises that were

impacted by the flooding, but were not

eligible for the previous £7,500

payment or the EFSS’.

Enterprise, Regeneration and

Tourism director Conor Mallon

confirmed to the committee that the

scheme was opening the following day

(Tuesday), and would close on 22

March.

He highlighted that applications

would be processed “as they come in”,

rather than after the closure date, as a

means of speeding the process up.

Alan Lewis (DUP, Slieve Croob)

proposed that the council agree to

administer the schemes, and this was

seconded by Oonagh Hanlon (Sinn

Féin, Downpatrick) and unanimously

backed by the committee.

Whilst acknowledging how

beneficial the scheme would be to

many applicants, Cllr McAteer said

that he had “severe reservations

about the amount of money that is

being offered”, given that he was

aware that it was going to cost some

businesses between £250,000 and

£500,000 to return.

He proposed that the council write

to Mr Murphy “concerning the ceiling

level of funding made available

through the EFSS, as it is clear a

significant number of businesses

affected by the flooding have costs

exceeding the £100,000 made

available, and some businesses are

reporting £250,000+ costs”.

This was seconded by his party

colleague Gareth Sharvin

(Downpatrick) and supported by the

committee.

The council will also act as the lead

local authority for the procurement

and appointment of a loss assessor on

behalf of all council areas impacted by

last year’s flooding.

In a statement issued yesterday

(Tuesday), council chairperson Valerie

Harte said that the funding would

“help us to secure the medium- to

long-term economic future of our city

and towns”.

“I encourage traders to visit the

online portal to check eligibility, and

make an application for funding ahead

of the 22 March deadline,” she added.

The statement highlighted that

applicants will be required to submit

appropriate evidence to support their

application, and that all awards are

subject to funding availability.

The online portal can be accessed

at

newrymournedowndc.smartsimpleuk.

com/s_Login.jsp, and further

information can be requested

at flooding@nmandd.org.

Details of how to apply for the

hardship schemes will be confirmed in

the coming weeks.