Agenda item

Report of the Covid-19 Business Engagement Group.

The Committee received a report of the Chair of the Covid 19 Business Engagement Group in respect of support for SMEs,

Members expressed concern in relation to those businesses reliant on office workers and footfall for their customer base, given the very low numbers currently in the City.  Officers advised Members of various promotions and activities, such as the London & Partners campaign (detailed more fully at Item 23) and its work through its cultural institutions to encourage visitors, but acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, particularly given current Government guidance around working arrangements. The Chair also referenced the need to support City SMEs but emphasised that it was unrealistic for the City Corporation to hope to find a general panacea; unfortunately, some businesses simply would not survive regardless of help that might be offered. Whilst the City Corporation was working with Government on the messaging in respect of a safe return to work and the use of public transport, the Chair reminded Members that the City Corporation was a local authority, responsible for public health, and so had to consider its position in that context.

In response to further queries, it was advised that a dashboard on emerging indicators in this area had been produced, identifying items such as levels of use of public transport, numbers of pedestrians and cyclists, and so on.  Whilst there was no single data source currently available on the number of closed or units, officers would work to seek to extrapolate this data.

RESOLVED: That the report be received and its content noted.