by LESTER CROSS
The Scottish Government handed Scottish Borders Council a total of £31.6 million during the last financial year to combat Covid-19 issues, councillors are told in a report to be considered by the local authority's Executive.
Over the twelve months from April 1st 2021 to March 31st 2022 more than 50 grants were allocated to the Borders from national funds. In a number of instances additional resources were provided to allow Covid related schemes to be administered.
In a separate report detailing the council's financial position at the end of 2021/22, the authority's head of finance David Robertson writes: "The Council has administered £73.9 million of funding which has been passed to over 5,770 businesses through a variety of business grants. The COVID-19 reserve was utilised during 2021/22 to maintain public services utilising further specific support from Scottish Government to support individuals and businesses during the pandemic.
"The challenging operating environment has included significant recruitment and retention issues across the Council which have contributed to the year end underspend position but in doing so have resulted in capacity issues with a number of teams experiencing recruitment issues in filling vacant positions."
Mr Robertson goes on to explain: "The funding received by Scottish Government in 2021/22 along with unspent sums carried forward from 2020/21 were deployed to cover financial impacts identified during 2021/22. The balance of funding not required in 2021/22 has been earmarked into 2022/23 into the COVID-19 reserve to support further financial impacts. The COVID reserve, which was created during 2020/21, and totalled £15.682 million at the end of 2020/21 has been partly deployed through the revenue budget in 2021/22 and now totals £9.465 million."
This is the full list of Covid-19 payments received by Scottish Borders Council in 2021/22
General Administration funding (Leaders Nov) 406,000
Administration of £100 COVID Spring Hardship payment 5,585
Administration of COVID-19 Business Support: Large Self Catering,Exclusive Use Properties and Bed & Breakfast Establishments paying Council Tax 330,000
Food Insecurity 177,550
Financial Insecurity 330,000
Children & young people's mental health (pandemic grant £246,750; framework grant £82,250) 329,000
Safe schools return (Logistics) 1,772,000
Education Recovery (additional staff, family support,
digital) 955,000
Additional funding to cover continued education recovery
1,032,000
Lost income scheme 1,416,569
Financial Insecurity Fund (balance) 54,925
Spring Hardship Payment 259,518
Discretionary Fund (balance) 900,296
Tackling Child Poverty Fund - Parental Employability Support Fund (PESF) Boost 114,000
Self-Isolation Assistance Service - extension 41,895
Additional £15m flexible funding for Level Four 330,000
To support Covid-19 pressures including lost income (20/21)
5,110,000
Test & Protect - local self-isolation assistance service
funding to 11/1/21 13,000
Test & Protect - support for people extension to 11/1/21
48,000
Share of £400k for admin of hardship grants 5,585
EH &TS Covid-19 officers 38,000
SG education logistics funding (share of £20m) 506,000
SG consequentials funding (share of £49m) 195,520
COVID-19 funding - SBC share of £259m national one-off
funding 5,757,000
COVID-19 Funding 889,000
Learning needs of children and young people 1,199,000
Low Income Pandemic Payment 1,163,500
Family Pandemic Payment 356,320
Low Income Pandemic Payment - admin 69,085
Family Pandemic Payment - admin 12,252
Scottish Child Payment Bridging Payments (Oct &
increased winter) 392,829
Scottish Child Payment Bridging Payments - additional admin (Oct payment) 6,126
Additional cleaning staff, materials & PPE 520,000
Private Sector Housing Grants admin fee 2,000
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 480,000
Community Equipment Store 50,000
Wipes in Secondary schools 520,000
Masks in schools 28,000
Funding for Environmental Health Officers 54,000
Admin. for self-isolation grants 19,700
Local Self-Isolation Assistance Service (Apr - June 21)
47,775
Additional costs associated with the self isolation support
grant 20/21 22,673
Additional costs associated with the self isolation support
grant 21/22 13,604
Self-isolation support 2021/22 30,000
Local Self-Isolation Assistance Service (July - Sept 21)
47,775
Extension of Local Self-Isolation Assistance Service (Oct -
Dec 21) 47,775
Extension of Local Self-Isolation Assistance Service (Jan -
Mar 22) 47,775
Business Ventilation Fund - administration 15,100
December/January Business Support Top Up – Hospitality
admin. 26,900
School ventilation - CO2 Monitors 64,000
Tenant Grant Fund 184,000
Business Support Administration Grant 2021/22 81,000
Financial Insecurity Flexible funding 470,000
Council contribution towards Covid-19 pressures 28,000
Assumed IJB funding through the LMP 4,626,000
TOTAL - 31,641,632
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