Council fund for local businesses “falling through the cracks” in government support

A new Covid-19 support scheme for local businesses unable to access funds from the UK or Scottish governments has been launched by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council), the local authority for Na h-Eileanan Siar council area of Scotland.

Cllr Roddie Mackay, leader of the Comhairle said that the new Covid-19 Business Support Scheme would make grants of up to £5,000 available to local businesses “that are falling through the cracks of the existing support schemes” and that the new grants were there to “support local businesses through this crisis and help them prepare for recovery.”

“With our limited financial resources,” Cllr MacKay added, “we have to target support where it is most needed. The first stop should be the various government schemes and interventions and if that is unsuccessful, businesses should contact our Business Gateway team.”

The Comhairle has previously agreed a package of measures to offer all small businesses a three-month deferral on loan repayments, as well as offering support to tenants in Comhairle properties.

The Comhairle also confirmed last week that it is leading a multi-agency ‘Business Resilience Group’ focused on engaging with and reaching out to all sectors of the business community across the islands.

Chairman of Sustainable Development, Cllr Donald Crichton, said: “I would like to thank everyone involved in establishing the Covid-19 Local Business Support Scheme. We are committed to doing as much as we can to ensure our local businesses survive and I am pleased that we now have a scheme in place which can provide emergency financial support to local businesses.”

In a statement issued last week, the Comhairle said that it had received over 450 applications to the Scottish Government Business Support Scheme, which the authoirty manages, with over £1.6 million paid out to small businesses throughout the Western Isles.