There have been calls to speed up promised funding by the Scottish Government to businesses who need it.
A leaked COSLA document indicates only 7 of 30 business funds announced by the SNP are even active and councils are still awaiting guidance on funds announced a month ago.
The Scottish Government has only published evidence of £6 million out of approximately £300 million reaching businesses.
The £19m Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Driver Support Fund was announced by Nicola Sturgeon in early December. It will only open this week.
A fund for coach tour operators announced at the same time is not due to launch until ‘February/March’ according to the leaked document.
Also announced in December, the Wedding Sector Support Fund, worth £15m, will not launch until the end of January.
Leader of Scottish Borders Council, Cllr Shona Haslam, revealed on Twitter that SBC are still waiting on guidance from the Scottish Government to open most of the funds that are administered by local authorities.
John Lamont MP said:
“It’s all fine and well announcing a new shiny fund for businesses. But what these leaked documents show is that the SNP can talk the talk, but time after time, are failing to walk the walk.
“We need to see these business funds open now. You can’t keep industries closed and expect them to survive without funding.
“A lot of these business funds support vital sectors in the Borders such as tourism and events and were announced weeks ago. The UK Government has delivered billions to the Scottish Government to help the economy. They must get it out the door and into those in need immediately before it is too late.”
Rachael Hamilton MSP said:
“The SNP must ensure that businesses are receiving vital funding now, there simply isn’t any time to waste.
“When I spoke in the debate on business funding in December, I firmly told the Finance Secretary that she had to act then to ensure jobs were saved. Last week in Holyrood, it was the First Minister who couldn’t answer if businesses had received even a tenth of the funding promised more than a month ago.
“My party called on the 10-day guarantee for the swift turnaround of funding, but it has fallen on deaf ears.
“The new restrictions bring new challenges and I know from my caseload that many businesses are still left in the dark. As every day passes, more jobs are lost and more businesses close their doors indefinitely. This SNP incompetence is staggering.”
Cllr Shona Haslam, Scottish Conservative candidate for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, said:
“Local councils are responsible for distributing 13 business funds, but only 2 are open.
“We are still waiting for guidance for the other 11, even though some of them were announced back at the beginning of December. Meanwhile businesses are struggling.
“Councils are desperate to get money out, but their hands are tied.”
