Mid Sussex businesses to be given £300,000 lifeline by district council

During a meeting of the full council, Stephen Hillier, cabinet member for economic growth, said the money would be added to the grants budget to help businesses and the local community.

Mr Hillier was responding to a question from a member of the public, who spoke about the ‘economic devastation’ caused to the events industry during the pandemic.

He was told that businesses and freelancers in that sector had not been able to work since March and were not included in any of the government’s emergency aid grants.

Mr Hillier said live events played ‘a crucial role in local life in Mid Sussex and help to make it the special, vibrant place it is’.

He told the meeting that the council had given £26.4m from the small businesses and hospitality grants fund to 2,062 firms, with the entire £1.463m discretionary grant going to 187 local businesses.

But, with those grants aimed at firms who pay business rates, many small, home-based events companies and freelancers have not received a penny.

There had been some respite for 13 such firms, who were commissioned by the council to run its summer-long Play Days scheme online.

Mr Hillier hoped this latest financial injection would help further.

He said: “The council is proposing to put its money where its mouth is by allocating £300,000 out of its own revenues to a Covid-19 recovery fund for local businesses.

“The council will explore what can be done to support the events sector along with other similarly blighted sectors.”

A report to the meeting said the criteria for the grants was still to be developed.

Karen Dunn , Local Democracy Reporting Service