RYEDALE District Council (RDC) has provided more than £24 million in business grants during the coronavirus outbreak.

The council has processed 100 per cent of the grant applications received from independent businesses, placing Ryedale in the top 25 of councils for processing speed.

A number of grants were announced by the government to help businesses struggling during coronavirus lockdown, including the Small Business Grant Fund, the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund and Discretionary Business Grant.

“I am immensely proud of what Ryedale District Council has achieved for local businesses during the coronavirus outbreak,” said Cllr Keane Duncan, leader of Ryedale District Council.

“In total, more than 2,100 individual businesses have received the support they are entitled to, helping them to stay afloat and protect jobs.

“A huge amount of work has gone on behind-the-scenes to develop and manage all of the schemes, supporting lives and livelihoods at a time help was most needed.

“Not only have our employees got the grant money out of the door at a fast pace to those businesses in need, but they’ve also handed out more than 490 back-to-business kits.

“Businesses in our district still need our help and it’s vital that citizens support them, by shopping local to save jobs.”

The Small Business Grant Fund was for businesses in receipt of small business rate relief, retail relief and rural rate relief, enabling them to claim £10,000 in grant funding to help them to stay afloat during lockdown.

The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund offered a grant of nearly £25,000 for businesses with a rateable value of between £15,000 and £51,000.

Both of these grants closed on August 28, with Ryedale District Council handing out more than £22.8m and benefitting 1,935 businesses.

The Discretionary Business Grant was for any businesses who had previously missed out on support, offering more than £1.1m to over 165 businesses.

For more information, email business@ryedale.gov.uk