Free resources to help SMEs get to net zero
What are your plans for becoming a net zero business?
Net zero can feel overwhelming for small and medium sized businesses (SMEs). Heart of the City knows that from its 21 years of working with SMEs. But they also know that SMEs can do great things and have a real impact!
What are your plans for getting to net zero by 2040? SMEs operating in the City of London can sign up to a free climate action course from Heart of the City to learn from sustainability and climate change experts now. Continue reading
We had high hopes for a Ward Might that the Drapers’ Company had kindly agreed to host for the neighbours, “Behind The Curtains At Drapers’ Hall”, with a light reception and tour of the Hall. Sadly, Covid-19 restrictions put an end to that for now. Meanwhile, in a spirit of Broad Street Ward resilience, we moved online with the following agenda:
All-out elections for the Court of Common Council will be taking place in March next year. The timetable for these elections can be found on the City Corporation website: https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-us/voting-elections/common-council-elections
The City of London Corporation launched a Covid SME Business Recovery Fund of £50 million on 4 March to support SME businesses which contribute to the Square Mile’s vibrancy at street level and directly provide services to returning City workers, visitors, and residents. The deadline for applications to the Fund have been extended until 30 June 2021. For more information click here.
The City of London Corporation has agreed to launch a new £10 million grant scheme to support Square Mile businesses that have been hit by restrictions introduced in response to the Covid-19 Omicron variant. The support is targeted at businesses that primarily operate in the City of London in the retail, hospitality, leisure, and medical sectors.
An estimated 1,100 businesses are expected to qualify for support. Only businesses that were in occupation on 1 April 2021 and have been in occupation continuously since this date will be eligible to apply for a grant. The City Corporation will be contacting most businesses that qualify directly and inviting them to apply for this support through an online application process. Other businesses will also be able to apply via the City Corporation website.
The majority of funding will be provided by the City Corporation, with additional financing provided through the Government’s Additional Restrictions Grant. If a business operates from more than one location in the City, they will qualify for a grant for each location.
The scheme goes further than the Government support being offered through the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme which excludes retail and some personal service sectors from the scheme. The two grant schemes will run in tandem and will both be accessible through the same application process.
Businesses with lower and medium rateable values will receive higher levels of grant on the basis that SME businesses may be more at risk and less able to cope with the reduction of “in person” trade.
A new COVID-19 rapid testing site has opened at 65A Basinghall Street. The site will be open to the public from 10.30am-5pm with no pre-booked appointments required. Testing capacity will however be subject to stock availability, and you can also collect home test kits once you have undertaken a lateral flow test.
https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/footer/covid-19/covid-testing-information
Public consultation on proposals to change how Bank Junction operates is open until Monday, 10 May 2021. How to take part in the consultation can be found at www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/allchangeatbank.
The All Change at Bank project is looking towards the future of the area around Bank Station. The underground station upgrade is due to open at the end of 2022.
The City Court of Common Council has agreed to create a grant fund (4 March) for City SME Businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic. The scheme is designed to support businesses which contribute to the City’s vibrancy at street level and directly provide services to returning City workers, visitors, and residents. The necessary infrastructure for a successful City has been affected by enforced closure or low footfall and this scheme will seek to support those businesses that can evidence, through the grant application process, a likelihood that with support they have a reasonable chance to survive beyond the short term.
We had a turnout for the Ward Might webclave as high as a normal Ward Mote. There were a good number of questions on the City’s plans for net-zero-carbon, planning application volumes, the move of the Museum of London, and plans for the future of the City post-covid-19.
Of specific note, Deputy John Bennet notified the ward of his intention to step down as CC next March, and his desire to step down as Deputy this month. The Alderman, Sheriff Professor Michael Mainelli, appointed John Scott as Deputy, and gave thanks to John for 12 years of service as Deputy.
The slide deck for the meeting has now been posted – Broad Street Ward Might 2021.03.22 v1.0. It was noted that the virtual Ward Might had merits in showing slides and ease of attendance. Future Ward Mights might also be virtual but, all said, we do look forward to next March’s traditional Ward Mote.