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.
