Friday 29 March 2024
 5.9°C   SSE Gentle Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

Business / Surplus Covid business funding being used up

British pound coins and notes on a white background.

MORE than £400,000 has been distributed to local businesses so far from a pot of leftover Covid support funding designated for Shetland.

Of this nearly £180,000 has been given out through the second phase of the Scottish Government funded Covid discretionary scheme, which aims to support small businesses not eligible for other financial support.

The second phase opened at the end of November after more than £660,000 remained unused following the first round of the council-administered scheme.

In addition £147,000 in top-up payments has gone to local hotels from the surplus, while Shetland taxi drivers have benefitted to the tune of £83,000 in a bid to bring them in line with applicants to other government schemes.

There was a relatively tight deadline for applications – 13 December – and only business which could provide evidence of reduced income due to Covid-19 could request funding.

Shetland Islands Council’s economic development manager Tommy Coutts said the above figures were not the final tally as there remains some outstanding applications and payments.

The discretionary fund, which is administered by local authorities, was established by the Scottish Government earlier this year.

After the government upped the level of funding available for each council area in Scotland, Shetland was given an allocation of just over £912,000.

But in the first round just under £250,000 was given out, leaving a surplus of more than £600,000.

Coutts previously said he felt initial demand was not as high as expected, while other funds were announced between the scheme being announced and its launch.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.