COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

QUESTION NO. 6

QUESTION: Councillor E. Ó Broin

"To ask the Chief Executive to provide a report detailing the take-up of the shop front improvement scheme and the business support grant scheme by businesses located within the Clondalkin LEA?"

REPLY:

Shopfront Grant

On the 24th of March South Dublin County Council launched the Shopfront Grant Scheme for 2015, where a fund of €50,000 was made available to assist retailers for shopfront improvements. The scheme is intended to improve the appearance of independently owned shops fronting on to public streets. Grants are available for something as simple as painting a shop, replacing signage or replacing the entire shopfront. Grants are available from €800 up to €4,000, however the grant shall not exceed 50% of the overall cost in any case.

The Council has publicized the scheme in the following ways:

An advertisement was placed in the Tallaght Echo and the Lucan Gazette on the 12th of March, and this was re-advertised in April along with a further press release to media. This was preceded by an article about last years winner the week before in the Echo in order to develop interest in advance of re-launching.

Details of the scheme were also made available on the Councils website, and a press release was issued to local media on two occasions. Facebook and Twitter posts were issued and re-issued and further newspaper adverts were placed in April. A leaflet drop was carried out to shops in the main villages, and Elected Members were notified and asked to spread information on the scheme. The Chamber were notified and also issued notification of the scheme to its members. The Council also notified all those applicants from 2014 who for various reasons did not proceed with their application. The Council notified the main independent representative retail bodies to increase awareness, and retailers also contacted the Council directly in relation to this scheme and were met and briefed on the details of the scheme.

Twenty applications were received under the scheme, five of which were from shop owners in Clondalkin, of these five, two have been approved for a total of €12,141 (one for a parade of shops) and are in the process of completing works, two were refused as they did not meet the terms and conditions and one did not proceed with their application. The closing date for completion of works is 20th of November, 2015. The 2016 scheme will be advertised in the New Year.

Business Support Grant

The Business Support Grant initiative which commenced in 2014 provides a grant to businesses who: occupy a rateable property in South Dublin County; have a 2015 rates liability per rated property for the current year of €10,000 or less; have paid their rates for 2015 (including arrears, if any) and have submitted an online application.

All business potentially eligible for the 2015 Business Support Grant were directly notified by the Local Enterprise Office about the 2015 grant in July. Details were provided about the qualifying criteria and the grant amounts payable with potential applicants directed to the online application system. To date there have been 246 applications from businesses in the Clondalkin Area and the total estimated grants payable in respect of these applications is €88,157. Processing of applications is ongoing and the first tranche of grant payments issued in October with further payments due to be made over the remainder of the year.

Applications are still being accepted from businesses who have met their 2015 rates liabilities (including any arrears) and reminders have issued to eligible businesses encouraging them to do so. Businesses can apply online at http://www.sdcc.ie/bsgrant or contact the Local Enterprise Office for further details.