£9.914 MILLION FUNDING REACHES MIDLOTHIAN AND £11.059 MILLION FOR EAST LOTHIAN TO TACKLE IMPACT OF COVID-19

EXTRA SNP GOVERNMENT FUNDING TO SUPPORT COUNCIL SERVICES
 
Midlothian has received an additional £9.914 million and East Lothian has received an additional £11.059 million from the SNP Government to support local services and tackle the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
 
Local authorities will also receive their fair share of a further £184.8 million which is currently undistributed but will be allocated following parliamentary approval.
 
The extra funding has also been provided to help offset the drop-in revenue that Midlothian and East Lothian Council have lost during the pandemic and brings the overall support package to councils over the COVID-19 pandemic to more than £1 billion. 
 
The new figures come after Scotland’s Finance Secretary, Kate Forbes, announced that businesses, including taxi drivers, travel agents and those working in the hospitality sector, across Scotland will benefit from a new £185 million package of targeted coronavirus support.
 
Commenting, SNP MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Colin Beattie, said:
 
“The pandemic has put enormous pressure on households, communities and local services right across Scotland, and it’s right that the SNP Government has ensured Midlothian and East Lothian Councils have more funding to deal with this.
 
“This funding boost is supporting access to food, welfare payments and frontline services, and is just one way the SNP is providing to individuals and businesses to protect jobs and incomes.
 
“There’s even more cash to come – and if we all stick together, and continue following the rules in the coming months, we will beat this pandemic.”