Shopfront Repair and Redecoration Small Grants Scheme - Terms and Conditions

The agreement is between Breckland Council and the applicant(s) as named in the offer letter.

Businesses/organisations accepting grant offers from the Shop Front Improvement Scheme will be required to abide by and agree to the following terms and conditions:

There is a fixed threshold of £315,000 of Subsidy per enterprise in the current financial year and two previous financial years (i.e. this is a rolling time period). You will not be eligible for a grant and should not apply if this grant would take your enterprise over the threshold.

General Terms and Conditions

The approval or refusal of a grant is at the absolute discretion of Breckland Council.

Grants will not be given for expenditure incurred prior to the grant offer being made and the contract signed

• The grant must be used for the purpose intended as outlined in the Grant Offer letter. (This will be supported by producing original invoices for the grant claim)
• In the case of tenants, payment of the grant requires the building owner's approval.
• If the business/organisation ceases trading/operating within 12 months of the payment of the grant or the building is sold, the applicant must notify Breckland Council within 14 days and in such circumstances the Council may require the applicant(s) to repay, in whole or part of the grant paid.
• The grant must not be used for improvements to residential property, cleaning of buildings for without a wider programme of works, structural repairs including re-roofing, internal repairs and alterations, external security features, CCTV systems or recoverable VAT.
• If at any point the organisation/business becomes VAT registered, the applicant must inform Breckland Council and discuss repayment of VAT expenses claimed.
• The grant will only be paid to proposals which have been granted planning permission. Nothing in the agreement or negotiation of the grant will affect the Breckland Council's decision over planning permission. An offer of agreement in principle will be made until planning permission has been granted. Only than may a Grant Offer letter be issued and works commence.
• The applicant must inform Breckland Council of any changes to the business or changes of business address and telephone number.
• The grant is made on the condition that the property will be maintained to a satisfactory standard for a minimum of three years, or the term of the lease, whichever is the shorter.
• Any grant must be taken up within the period stated in the Grant Offer Letter unless a prior arrangement is made.
• Payment will be made in arrears upon the production of the grant claim form along with supporting documentation (e.g. copy invoices)
• Payments of grants to successful applicants will be in one sum on the receipt by Breckland Council of evidence that the applicant has incurred the expenditure.
• Expenditure must be incurred using a debit/credit card or cheque. Payments of grants will not be made towards expenditure incurred using the payment method of cash.
• Grants are dependent on applicants being required to complete a short questionnaire 12 months after the receipt of the grant.
• The offer of grant assistance will be for a period of 6 months with effect from the date offered.
• If, at any time during the term of this Agreement or within 5 years thereafter, it is discovered that any payment or benefit provided to you under this Agreement was based on false information, misrepresentation, violation of applicable laws, or breach of any material provision of this Agreement, Breckland Council shall have the right to claw back and recover such payment or benefit from you. Breckland Council shall provide written notice to you specifying the basis for the clawback and the amount to be recovered. You are required to promptly return the specified amount to Breckland Council within 30 days of receiving such notice.
• Additionally, if the recipient is found to be in breach of any material provision of this Agreement, Breckland Council reserves the right to claw back any payments made to you for not meeting the agreed-upon standards. Breckland Council shall provide written notice to you specifying the basis for the clawback and the amount to be recovered. You are required to promptly return the specified amount to Breckland Council within 30 days of receiving such notice