Economic Recovery Plan agreed to tackle COVID-19 impact on Argyll
By Aileen MacLennan
“We need to work together locally to help recover our local economy.”
The Leader of Argyll and Bute Council, Councillor Aileen Morton, summed up the challenges facing the local economy in moving on from the impacts of COVID-19.
“Tourism and regeneration work on hold, numerous local shops closed, businesses suspended, jobs being lost… COVID-19 is having significant consequences for the local economy.
We must do all we can to keep ourselves healthy. Supporting our economy is a key part of that – a healthy economy brings the jobs, services, and business growth that our communities need to live well.”
The Leader’s comments followed approval, by today’s Business Continuity Committee (BCC), of an economic recovery plan for Argyll and Bute.
The plan sets out short, medium and long-term measures to support local business sectors and the wider community to move on from the impact of COVID-19.
Council leader Aileen Morton and Councillor Gary Mulvaney, Policy Lead for Strategic Finance.
These actions include:
- Setting up the Argyll and Bute Economic Resilience Forum to bring together public and private sectors to identify issues and progress solutions. Members include the council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Scottish Enterprise, Visit Scotland and private sector representatives including local Chambers of Commerce, BIDs groups and key business sectors such as tourism, agriculture, aquaculture, construction and fisheries.
- Gathering data on the economic impact of the pandemic and seeking Government support on issues facing our rural economy.
- Progressing the Argyll Rural Growth Deal (RGD) to put at least £50 million of UK and Scottish Government funding to work for Argyll and Bute as quickly as possible.
- Providing local business with over £30 million in Government grant funding
- Providing businesses with social distancing information and other ways to keep staff, customers and local communities safe
- Moving forward with funding bids and tender exercises so that area regeneration activity can recommence as soon as lockdown restrictions permit.
Councillor Morton said: “Argyll and Bute’s economy has great opportunities for growth. In the longer term, to make growth happen we have to beat competition from other areas across Scotland and the UK who are trying to attract the same investment, customers, visitors and residents that we need here. Right now though our businesses need the support of our local communities to keep them going until restrictions are eased further.
We must all continue to take action to protect each other from COVID-19. We must also come together to restore the health of our economy.
A copy of the recovery plan is available on the website.
Argyll and Bute Council will invest up to £250,000 in events and festivals to help the local economy combat the impact of COVID-19.
A range of cultural events, which had been awarded grants by the council’s Strategic Events and Festivals Fund and Supporting Communities Fund, cannot go ahead in 2020/21 because of COVID-19 restrictions.
The council’s Business Continuity Committee agreed three measures today to address this and the impact on the economy:
- Grants awarded by the Supporting Communities Fund for events to take place in 2020/21 can now be used to deliver the events next year
- The council will provide up to 75% of costs incurred by organisers of events that cannot no longer take place because of COVID-19 restrictions, and
- The council will make an additional £90,000 available for local events, with the application process for this funding opening towards the end of this year.
Councillor Gary Mulvaney, Policy Lead for Strategic Finance said: “A healthy economy helps communities to thrive and businesses to succeed. The coronavirus pandemic threatens the health both of our people and of our economy.
“Grants from the Strategic Events and Festivals Fund and the Supporting Communities Fund were conditional on events being held by March 2020. However, we took the view that it is important to adopt a flexible approach at this extremely difficult time. Investing this funding in events for next year is all about supporting our economy to combat the effects of COVID-19 and rebuild.”
The BCC also agreed an economic recovery plan for Argyll and Bute. For more information on that please see the council’s website www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/moderngov/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=641&MId=10708&Ver=4
Pictures by Bill Heaney