Row over firms left out of grant scheme
Complaints that hundreds of local businesses have been waiting locally for valuable grant support have been rejected by council and government chiefs.
The latest data from the Scottish Government has revealed that 2695 applications were made to the Small Business Grant Scheme and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Scheme.
As of December 8, only 2089 applications had been formally processed - meaning that 606 applications from the Stirling area remain outstanding, despite the scheme closing to new applications in July.
The situation has led to criticism from Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Dean Lockhart, who called for more efforts from the Scottish Government to deal with the backlog - especially as the region moves back to the tightest restrictions following Boxing Day.
Mr Lockhart said: “These schemes were closed to new applicants in July.
“It is unacceptable that hundreds of applications to these funds from businesses across Stirling are still outstanding. Businesses are crying out for real support not just more warm words from the Scottish
Government.
“These figures demonstrate only too well the gulf between harsh reality and the platitudes being uttered by SNP ministers who must urgently address why so many applications have been left waiting.
“There is a very real risk many of these businesses will have already gone under or won’t reopen in the new year and now those that remain are faced with a further period of closure.”
However, a spokesman for Stirling Council - who are in charge of administering the funding locally - said there were no outstanding applications, with the discrepancy in figures down to those marked as ineligible.
The spokesman said: “There are no outstanding applications from businesses within Stirling for the Small Business Grant Scheme and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Scheme.
“Like all Scottish councils, we agreed to administer the business grants schemes on behalf of the Scottish Government, using the detailed guidance they provided.
“We received 2695 applications and awarded 2089 grants to successful applicants who met the Scottish Government’s grant scheme criteria before the scheme closed in July.
“We understood the pressures local businesses were facing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and our officers strived to administer all grants as quickly as possible, achieving positive turnaround times for applicants.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman defended the support given to businesses and said it was working with councils to support struggling local firms.
The spokeswoman said: “We are doing everything we can with the powers we have to help businesses. On top of £2.3 billion support announced at the start of the pandemic, we have provided almost £1.2 billion in economic recovery funds and £570 million in our recent packages of business support.
“Grant payments are administered by local councils and we are working closely with them to ensure funding is distributed to businesses as quickly as possible.
“The vast majority of applications related to the coronavirus business support fund have now been processed.
“The published information does not reflect where applicants have been rejected because they are ineligible or cases where the local authorities asked the applicant to submit further information and are awaiting a response.”