Bowling News
I am being told by two clubs that they have been told that they do not qualify for the latest
'Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant' from Kirklees MC even though previously they have qualified for the COVID grants of last year.
It seems that Kirklees are taking a much more stringent approach to granting the funding this time around which is at odds with some other local authorities. That is surprising as the source of funding for all local authorities is the government and you would have expected the criteria to be consistent across all those bodies acting as payment agents. I've heard that a new criteria of 50% of the club's income should come from commercial sources (a bar?) to qualify for the grant but that rule certainly isn't being applied in other local authorities.
The latest grant of financial support for bowling clubs should now be available through Kirklees MC which is worth at least £2,667 to each club with its own green.
We would be interested in what experience local clubs have found when applying for this latest grant. Have you received or been denied the full grant? What explanation was given if the grant bid was rejected? This will help inform other clubs on how to approach the situation with the best chance of a successful outcome.
This latest grant is known as the 'Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant' scheme and is to cover the period December 2021 to March 2022 and is based on the rateable value of the club property as of 31 December 2021. Clubs that have a rateable value of up to £15,000 can claim £2,667 even though their actual payment to Kirklees MC may be zero. Clubs with a rateable value over £15,000 can claim upon to £6,000. This grant is not available to bowling clubs that don't have their own premises such as clubs based on park greens.
As an ex Local Government Officer dealing in Government grants I’m very surprised that Kirklees appear to be taking a harder line on qualifying for the Grant as the money is not coming from Kirklees’ finances but from central Government. It is usual for Kirklees to administer the payment and to recover in full from central Government and so there’s no reason for Kirklees to take a harder line to decide eligibility for the grant.