Businesses/organisations accepting grant offers from the Rural England Prosperity Fund Scheme will be required to abide by and agree to the following terms and conditions:
- The approval or refusal of a grant is at the absolute discretion of the Local Action Group Grant Panel and there will be no right to an appeal process. Not all applications will be successful.
- Grants will not be given for expenditure incurred prior to the grant offer being made and the Grant Offer Letter signed.
- The grant is not payable to an un-discharged bankrupt.
- The grant must be used only 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 grant requires the building owner's approval and providing proof of a minimum of a two-year lease for the building.
- If within two years of the completion of the project the business/organisation ceases trading/operating or the building is sold, the applicant must notify Surrey County Council within 14 days and in such circumstances the relevant Council may require the applicant(s) to repay, in whole or part of, the grant paid.
- The grant must not be used for investment in residential property.
- If the applicant is registered for VAT this must be declared on the application form. If at any point the business/organisation becomes VAT registered, the applicant must inform Surrey County Council and discuss repayment of VAT expenses claimed.
- The Grant will only be paid to proposals which, where required, have been granted all relevant permissions (Planning/Advertising etc). Nothing in the agreement or negotiation of the grant will affect the relevant Council's decision over planning permission. Failure to provide satisfactory proof will result in a delay in payment being made and could result in Grant forfeiture.
- All works are to be undertaken strictly in accordance with the specification and schedule of works agreed with the Council.
- The relevant Council's written approval must be obtained in advance of any amendments to the approved capital investment specification or schedule of works.
- Representatives of the relevant Council must be allowed access to the project to carry out interim inspections of the works in progress or project undertaken, by appointment at any reasonable time.
- If the relevant Council (in its reasonable discretion) considers that works are not in accordance with the specification or schedule of works (and fails to rectify this within a reasonable time, where practicable) the relevant Council may require the applicant(s) to repay, in whole or part of, the grant paid.
- There is no obligation on the relevant Council to increase the grant if the costs of works increase, or if any additional work is undertaken.
- A proportional reduction will be made in the grant if the actual cost of the eligible work proves to be less than estimated, or if duplicate funding is received from elsewhere.
- The applicant must inform the relevant Council of any changes to the business/organisation or changes of business address and/or telephone number.
- The grant is made on the condition that the product of the capital funding will be maintained to a satisfactory standard for a minimum of two years.
- Any grant must be taken up within the period stated in the Grant Offer Letter or the offer will lapse.
- Payment will be made in arrears upon the production of the grant claim form along with supporting documentation (e.g., paid invoices), unless other arrangements for exceptional circumstances have been agreed.
- Expenditure must be incurred using a debit/credit card or cheque and evidenced through a bank statement. 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 evaluation at quarterly intervals after receipt of the grant award.
- Surrey County Council, Guildford Borough Council, Waverley Borough Council, Tandridge District Council and Defra reserve the right to publish illustrations, photographs or other details of your project in promotional literature and other documents developed.
- Applicants will acknowledge Surrey County Council and Guildford Borough Council or Waverley Borough Council or Tandridge District Council and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in all promotional literature relevant to the project (in accordance with any directions given and their respective branding guidelines).
- Applicants will need to sign the contract within 28 days from the date offered otherwise the offer will be withdrawn.
- If the applicant undertakes any work that, in the opinion of the relevant Council, significantly alters or removes any elements of the grant aided work, the Council shall have the right to recover such proportion of the grant as it sees fit. This condition shall apply for a period ending two years after the completion of the project.
- Under s58(4) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, if any condition is contravened or not complied with, the relevant Council reserves the right to recover the grant, or such part of it as the relevant Council sees fit.
- The Applicant (and anyone acting on their behalf) shall not unlawfully discriminate within the meaning and scope of any law (whether in race, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, age or otherwise) on the Project.
- The Applicant (and anyone acting on their behalf) shall comply with the provisions of the Human Rights Act 1998 as if the Applicant were a public body (as defined in the Human Rights Act 1998) on the Project.
- The Applicant (or anyone acting on their behalf) must not do or fail to do anything which the relevant Council considers is likely to bring the reputation of the Project or the Council into disrepute.
- The Applicant shall comply with all applicable laws, statutes, regulations, and codes relating to anti-bribery and anti-corruption including but not limited to the Bribery Act 2010.
