Government must fill gap in support for businesses in shared premises
I’ve covered previously some of the different initiatives Liberal Democrats are taking to call members, supporters or residents to help them through the coronavirus crisis.
But even as normal campaigning is rightly on hold, there’s much more that can be done – and needs to be done.
Enter stage left, Haringey Liberal Democrats who are taking up with online campaigning a gap in government support for local businesses:
Numerous local businesses are in danger because they are unable to access government funding and rates relief during the COVID-19 crisis warn Liberal Democrat councillors in Haringey.
Haringey Lib Dem Leader Cllr Liz Morris has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government asking that financial help is extended to businesses in shared premises and businesses whose landlords are the business rate payer, all of whom are currently excluded from accessing grants and help with business rates.
Launching an online petition today, Cllr Morris said:
“Haringey has many thriving, viable local businesses which are currently excluded from getting the cash grants and rates relief which would help them survive the current lockdown. These businesses have been forgotten by the government.”
I don’t know why the Tories have to make everything complicated.
If they are giving a business rates ‘holiday’ or a refund then it is probably more cost effective, and certainly quicker, to apply it to everyone.. Same for the self employed… the Tax office knows who has paid what tax, they could simply reverse the payments and start refunding what any self-employed worker has paid over recent years.. no need to apply for it.
But no, they have to dream up a new scheme involving forms, criteria, questions… it is surely just another cynical ploy to sound good but minimise costs
We have over 200 businesses in Wiltshire that are falling through the cracks in the grants scheme. Many are in the hospitality and tourism sectors that are likely to be last out of lockdown and slowest to recover. Local small primary schools are also reporting they have given up on the Government’s free school meal voucher system having wasted hours trying and failing to register. Yet the pupil premium list and payment system is in place and shops like the Co-op, not listed in the Government voucher scheme but present in rural communities had pre-existing card based payment systems to provide food to these young people. Like the NHS volunteers, too many of these schemes are too centralised in their processes, complex and bureaucratic in operation and failing the vulnerable people they are meant to serve and support.