Kildare County Council outlines supports available for businesses in this Municipal District

Kildare County Council (KCC) has outlined the list of supports available for businesses operating in a specific Municipal District (MD).

The information was provided by KCC at the latest Clane-Maynooth MD meeting, which took place on Friday, December 5 last, in response to a question which was submitted by Fianna Fáil councillor Paul Ward.

Specifically, Cllr Ward, who appeared at the meeting by virtual means, asked KCC to outline the "current schemes, grants and supports that are available to businesses in this MD for improving business premises".

In response to his query, KCC said via the report it presented at the meeting that the following schemes, grants and supports are provided by KCC for the purpose of improving business premises:

• "The €5,000 Shop Front Improvement for painting, woodwork, signage, lighting and more"
• "The €5,000 Universal Accessibility and Age Friendly Grant to provide better access, new doorways, ramps, handrails and more"
• "The €1,000 Retail Window Merchandising Grant to enhance window displays, especially during festivals and public holidays (a merchandising masterclass can be delivered in a vacant town centre unit to enhance its visual appeal if a suitable premises is available)"
• "The €10,000 Energy Efficiency Grant, which includes a resource efficiency assessment for businesses with up to 50 employees to purchase or retrofit equipment and energy systems — this is supported by a Green for Business programme"
• "The Commercial Incentive Grant Scheme (Rates Rebate) if a building is vacant for two years or more, a new tenant can avail of a discount on commercial rates for three years"

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KCC also told Cllr Ward: "Some properties located within an Architectural Conservation Area or on the Record of Protected Structures may also be eligible for conservation grants".

These include:

• "The €50,000 Built Heritage Investment Scheme for owners of historical buildings in need of repair and conservation"
• "The Historic Structures Fund"

In addition, KCC said: "Should the premises, or a neighbouring premises on the streetscape, have a residential element (e.g. 'above the shop'), it may also be eligible for grant aid through the Town Centre First team."

Potential supports available through this team include:

• "The €50,000 Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant for owners turning vacant buildings into their permanent home or a rental property"
• "The €80,000 Repair and Leasing Scheme for repairs of vacant properties and to be leased back to the local authority for housing purposes"

Furthermore, KCC said that other supports which can support local businesses operating in the MD include:

• "The €5,000 Digital for Business Grant for the software and technology to manage your inventory, orders, e-commerce, Customer Relationship Management and more"
• "Business advice; 1-1 specialist Business Mentoring"
• "Lean for Business to reduce delays and waste and lower your costs"
• "Specialised training for the retail and hospitality sector on topics such as preparing for peak season, managing stock, competing online"

KCC added: "This suite of supports is actively promoted through public campaigns such as #shoplocal video footage, radio and social media campaigns, and signage in vacant shop windows throughout the county."

After receiving the report, Cllr Ward told KCC that he was "very happy" with it.

Fianna Fáil Cllr Paul Ward. Photograph credit: kildarecoco.ie

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Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.