East Lothian Council has approved almost 360 business support grants totalling £4.26 million since the government fund was announced.
More than 1,000 applications have been received so far. Businesses can apply for the funding up to the end of the current financial year on 31st March 2021.
Councillor John McMillan, East Lothian Council spokesperson for Economic Development and Tourism, said: “This is good news in terms of the potential number of valued local businesses that will receive support to help them keep trading despite the Coronavirus crisis.
“However we are asking for their help too. We have found that, probably due to businesses trying to get their applications in quickly, instructions are not being followed fully and this is delaying the assessment process. So while I would actively encourage businesses to apply, I would likewise encourage them to follow the instructions carefully and ensure they provide the correct supporting documentation, including a relevant bank statement.
“My thanks go to colleagues who are working extremely hard to get these applications processed as quickly as possible. The team had a large number of applications approved and ready to be paid as soon as the funding was received by ELC from the Government.
“We are continuing to liaise with the Scottish Government and other agencies on a number of other issues to maintain and sustain other businesses affected by the lockdown.”
There are two levels of grant available.
- A grant of £25,000 is available for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with a rateable value between £18,001 and up to and including £50,999
- A grant of £10,000 is available to small businesses who receive Small Business Bonus Scheme relief or Rural Relief
Each ratepayer may only claim one grant in Scotland, regardless of how many properties they are the ratepayer for. The applicant must be the ratepayer as at 17 March 2020.
More information on these grants, plus the full range of business support available, is available on the council website