More than 400 applications for financial support have been received from businesses in Argyll and Bute during the Covid-19 pandemic, a report has revealed.
The council is administering the business support grant which has been implemented by the UK Government to help businesses through the coronavirus crisis.
And a report for the authority’s business continuity committee has stated that 467 applications have been made for grants of either £10,000 or £25,000, with payments totalling £4.825m already approved.
Those figures could well have risen by the time the committee convenes by Skype on Thursday, April 16, as the report only covers applications made up till Monday, April 6.
The total is not broken down into how many businesses from each of Argyll and Bute’s four administrative areas have applied.
The business continuity committee, consisting of nine councillors, is overseeing council business after an electronic meeting of all the authority’s members on Tuesday, March 31.
The report, by interim executive director Kirsty Flanagan, said: “The council is administering the business support grant and an initial advance of the funding (80%) was provided to councils on April 1, with the remaining amount to be disbursed at a later stage.
“As at close of business on April 6, there are approximately 1,300 emails relating to business grants (some will be applications, others will be queries or follow-up to information requested) and 446 applications have been processed.
“By grant type, 418 have been processed for the £10,000 grant with 390 approved and 49 processed for the £25,000 grant with 37 approved.
“The council has launched a Coronavirus Caring for People helpline and this is set up to help with all types of advice linked to coronavirus. The number is 01546 605524.
“Information on support for businesses is also on the council website within the coronavirus help and advice section and is updated regularly.”
As well as the business support grants, the UK and Scottish Governments are making other packages available to help businesses in the current climate, which are detailed in the report.
These include the job retention scheme, self-employment income support, non-domestic rates relief and deferral of VAT payments.
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