Grants for struggling Kaipara businesses and ratepayers

Kaipara District Council has made more than $500,000 in grant available to struggling businesses, ratepayers, and sporting organisations. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Kaipara District Council has received more than 44 applications for grants from businesses, community, and sporting groups in genuine need of financial assistance as a result of Covid-19.

Last month, Kaipara District councillors voted for $200,000 to be made available for the hospitality sector or those who require health, food or alcohol licences to operate to access up to $1500 to offset licence fees.

Up to $500 to offset rates and $1000 maximum to seek professional advice, such as accounting, human resources or business mentoring to help improve operations, or resolve issues resulting from the business shutdown, has also been made available.

The grants are intended to make it easier to return to operations by offsetting some of the costs they are facing in dealing with the council.

The council has also established a Covid-19 Agility Fund of $325,000 to provide a grant for rates to community and sports groups up to $500 and up to $1000 for professional advice such as accounting, human resources or business mentoring to help improve operations (up to a maximum of 50 applicants).

There is provision of a credit for six months on leases to community groups leasing council land, from March 2020 to August 2020, six months interest to the Mangawhai Museum on its community loan, and two months on leases to campsite operators on council land up to a maximum of $1000.

The council said its plan was in response to emerging needs and to encourage as many ratepayers as possible who felt they may be facing hardship, to contact its rates staff to agree a more flexible payment plan with the option of penalties being removed.

It said the grants also provided encouragement to businesses that have been impacted, especially the hospitality industry, which has been the hardest hit, and upon which the health and wellbeing and vibrancy of the district were dependant.

There were 47 applications as of 10am yesterday. "COVID-19 has meant loss of jobs in our community and Council wants to remove any barriers and help those with a genuine need to restart after the long period of lockdown.

"It is with urgency the retail and hospitality businesses need to be open for business. This will, in turn, help employment opportunities in our district."

More information including an application form and criteria about the grants can be found at kaipara.govt.nz.

Applications can be emailed to grants@kaipara.govt.nz.