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Following the announcement from the Scottish Government that specific businesses can start to reopen from 29th June as part of phase 2, ����ɬ Council is working with local businesses to offer guidance and support, on the steps they need to take to keep themselves, employees and the public safe.

����ɬ Council continues to build its green transport fleet and has just taken delivery of 20 new Ultra Low Emission Vehicles, partially funded by the Scottish Government. Through Transport Scotland’s Switched-on Fleets Grant, for every three-year lease paid for by the council, the Scottish Government will pay the lease for an additional vehicle. This is conditional on the council taking a diesel car off the road for each new vehicle added.

The council is taking its first step to going back to the normal cycles of bin and recycling collections – three weekly for general domestic waste and two weekly for blue bin/bag recycling. From the week beginning 22 June

The council is taking its first step to going back to the normal cycles of bin and recycling collections – three weekly for general domestic waste and two weekly for blue bin/bag recycling. From the week beginning 22 June

The Leader of ����ɬ Council has urged the UK and Scottish Governments to progress ����ɬ’s rural growth deal, and so support the area’s recovery from the impact of COVID-19. Councillor Aileen Morton has written to the Secretary of State for Scotland and to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Islands and Connectivity, following the council’s recent agreement of an economic recovery plan for ����ɬ which features the £50 million+ rural growth deal (RGD). Councillor Morton said:

����ɬ Council has given out £30 million in business grants, and is reminding businesses affected by COVID-19 that help is still available. Staff from a range of council services have either refocused their work, or left their usual roles temporarily, to help deliver support to local businesses at this hugely difficult time. The main area of activity involves the administration of Scottish Government business support schemes, which include rate reliefs and specific grants for small and medium sized businesses.

����ɬ Council is continuing to deliver a range of services aimed at improving the educational attainment and life chances of care experienced children and young people. The Council has confirmed that significant improvements achieved during 2018/19 in relation to scrutiny, audit and outcomes for the area’s care experienced children and young people have been sustained into 2019/20 – including additional support related to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic.

����ɬ 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: 

“We need to work together locally to help recover our local economy.”   The Leader of ����ɬ 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.    

Moves to expand Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) and implement 1140 hours of funded ELC in ����ɬ by August 2020 are continuing to progress, despite the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. In March the Scottish Government announced that local authorities would no longer be legally obliged to deliver 1140 hours of funded childcare from August 2020 due to the coronavirus crisis.