Community Resilience Group Email - 8 January 2021

Covid Council Briefing – prior to the start of the Council meeting yesterday, a briefing was provided by Dr Tim Allison, Director of Public Health for NHS Highland, Chief Superintendent Conrad Trickett from Police Scotland and the Council’s Chief Executive Donna Manson. The briefing was recorded and is available to view at the following link https://highland.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/535401. I hope you find this interesting and informative.

Covid Resilience Grant Support – the local covid resilience grant scheme is still in place and available for groups to apply to. The purpose of the fund is to support covid-19 related community activity and on supporting emergency food, supplies and vulnerable individuals. Examples of support could include:

supporting local volunteer efforts and expenses including developing promotional materials and support for local volunteer telephone systems

making up food packs for vulnerable households

developing measures to address social isolation

providing a source of funding to enable groups to shop for individuals in the community where households no longer have cash available and they cannot source local deliveries

The criteria for the Scheme has been amended and groups can now apply for funding up to £1,500 at any one time.

Temporary Business Closure Grant – a new grant scheme has been launched to support businesses who have had to close due to the covid-19 protective measured introduced. The Closure Grant operates as a two-tiered scheme, with a grant of £2,000 for premises which have a rateable value of up to and including £51,000 and a grant of £3,000 for those businesses with a rateable value of £51,001 and above. The grant is payable every four weeks, in arrears, for the duration protective measures are in place.

For more information please visit www.highland.gov.uk/strategicframeworkfund

Over the coming weeks the Scottish Government will be making available a range of other grants to businesses, including Taxi and Private Hire; Newly Self Employed, Mobile Close Contact Services and a Highland Discretionary Business Grant scheme. The Council has been asked to deliver these grant schemes and as detailed eligibility and grant scheme information becomes available from the Scottish Government, the Council will provide guidance and detail on its website as to who is eligible and how to apply for grant. We will provide updates as and when they become available.

NHS Vaccine updates: the latest update from NHS Highland on the vaccine can be accessed at the following link: www.nhsinform.scot/covid19vaccine

Alison Clark, Head of Policy, Highland Council