Almost £16 million of coronavirus support funding has been paid out to businesses across Aberdeenshire.

Aberdeenshire Council has been processing an estimated 300 grant applications per day to ensure businesses in the region receive the funding. Thanks to the work of council employees, a total of 1,344 businesses have already benefited.

Councillor Jim Gifford, the leader of Aberdeenshire Council, said: “Our businesses are the backbone of our local economy and we are acutely aware of the pressures COVID-19 has placed on them.

“Teams across multiple council services, as well as local and national partners, have been working cohesively to ensure we can get the business support fund grants paid out as quickly as possible and I am pleased to see the significant funds paid out to date.

“I’d also encourage businesses to visit the COVID-19 section of the Aberdeenshire Council website to access information about all available support.”

The applications deadline for the support fund is March 31 2021, The Press and Journal reports.

Similarly, in less than a week, the amount paid out to Scottish Borders businesses through the Scottish Government’s Business Support Fund has more than doubled to almost £11m.

The fund is being managed locally by Scottish Borders Council’s Business Gateway service, with extra payment runs being put in place to ensure businesses receive the funds as soon as possible after approval of their application.

Almost 1,000 grants have now been approved for 986 businesses, with payments totalling £10,730,000 processed.

Tracey Logan, chief executive of Scottish Borders Council, said: “Since the end of last week our team has managed to process a significant volume of applications, enabling us to arrange payments valued at £6.2m this week alone.

“This has only been possible thanks to businesses ensuring that their applications have been fully completed and all required information submitted with their application and the deployment of even more staff to support this vital area of work.”

Ms Logan added: “We welcome the additional funding that the Scottish Government announced on Wednesday and we now await further detail on the two schemes announced. Unfortunately, we will not be able to advise local businesses on those new elements of funding support until we have formal guidance from the Scottish Government.”

Councillor Iain McLaren, convener of infrastructure, regeneration and economic development, said: “This is undoubtedly a difficult and uncertain time for our small and large local businesses, and I am pleased that we are managing to give them the support they need to keep going during this pandemic or reassure them that they can continue trading when distancing measures are relaxed.

“Supporting these businesses is vitally important for our economy, as they help improve our communities by creating jobs for local people, and attract trade and further investment too.  It is in all of our interests to see them open for business again as soon as it safe to do so.”

Read all of our articles relating to COVID-19 here.