1. User Guide

7.1 Performance reporting

We are keen to hear about how your project is progressing and the achievements you have made with the funding. As part of your formal reporting on your grant, you must provide us with project updates during the lifetime of your project. We will expect a project update usually every month, and at each time you request a payment.

We will reference the key milestones identified in your Project Delivery Plan and agree some performance criteria with you to help keep your project on track. We may agree some corrective action measures with you should you run into difficulty in delivering the project successfully. Should you be unable to complete the project your grant will be subject to financial claw-back in line with the grant terms.

7.2  Ownership

We expect you to own or hold a significant legal interest in any property (land, buildings etc.) on which you spend the grant. You must own the freehold or have a lease with at least 15 years left to run after your Project Completion Date. All leases must meet the following requirements:

• we do not accept leases with break clauses (these give one or more parties to the lease the right to end the lease in certain circumstances)
• we do not accept leases with forfeiture on insolvency clauses (these give the landlord the right to end the lease if the tenant becomes insolvent)
• you may be able to sell on, sublet the whole or part, and mortgage your lease but if we award you a grant, you must first have our permission to do any of these.

7.3 Insuring works and property

You must, with your contractors, take out appropriate insurance for any property, works, materials and goods involved in your project. All of these must be covered for their full reinstatement value against loss or damage, including inflation and professional fees.

If your project is affected by fire, lightning, storm, or flood damage to the extent that you cannot complete the project as detailed in your application, we may consider claiming back our grant.

7.4 Procurement and Social Value

You must follow our Procurement Guidelines. You will be asked to set out the wider Social Value aspects of your proposal, referencing the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 including aspects that protect culture, heritage, and the Welsh language where relevant.

7.5 Welsh Language

You must include the Welsh language in all aspects of your work. Tell us how you will promote and support the Welsh language and reflect the bilingual nature of Wales.

You must comply with the requirements of the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 and adhere to the principles set out in Ceredigion County Council's Welsh Language Standards, a full copy of the which can be found on the Council's website insofar as they relate to the delivery of a Project.  When applications are being assessed we also refer to the CCC Welsh Language Policy for Contracts to ensure proposals are in compliance with this.

7.6 Subsidy Control Scheme SC11278

Where any grant comes from public funds it is subject to the requirements of the Subsidy Control Act 2022. We ask that you familiarise yourself with this legislation. A subsidy is where a public authority provides financial support from public money that gives an economic advantage to the recipient, where that recipient can be engaged in economic activities.

The Fund has been assessed and registered as a new Subsidy Scheme in compliance with the Act, as Registered Scheme number SC11278. Consequently, there is no need for individual projects receiving grant monies from the Fund to submit subsidy control assessments, but each award must be notified on a 'transparency database.'

It is our responsibility to make the final determination of whether your grant complies with the parameters of the Registered Scheme. We reserve the right to impose further requirements and seek further information in this respect and we will expect you to provide us with any assistance we may require in completing our assessment.

7.7  Security for the grant

Where any grant award is over £250,000, we may seek a charge over the grant-funded property.

You will need to send us your solicitor's contact details as soon as possible if you are awarded a grant. Your solicitor will need to provide copies of official title from the Land Registry (together with the title plan and other the necessary information) to enable us to draft the charge documentation. This will include an undertaking from your solicitor to act on our behalf to conduct all relevant pre-completion searches and to register the charge at the Land Registry and at Companies House (if appropriate).

You will be responsible for the fees and costs of your solicitor, but you may include the cost of legal advice as part of the project costs in your application.

7.8  Government Embargoes and Sanctions

Our grants must not be used to fund businesses who are supporting extremism, criminal activity and/or who are subject to government embargoes and sanctions.  You must follow all legislation and regulations that apply to your project and conduct your own due diligence on any funds, contracts or individuals linked to places that may be subject to government embargoes and sanctions. We reserve the right to withhold grant payments if we consider public funds are at risk.

7.9 Promotion and Acknowledgment of Funding

Acknowledging any grant from the Mid Wales Commercial Property Investment Fund is an important consideration for your project. It is your opportunity to show how MWGD funding is being used to support the local economy.

Planning promotional activity early will help you to meet our requirements and to acknowledge this support in ways that are creative and proportionate to the size of the grant.

Please include a budget for publicity and promotional costs within your proposals.

Use our Publicity Guidance to help plan your promotional activities.