BANKIES who are at risk of eviction after falling behind with their rent as a result of the pandemic are to receive help from the council.

A total of £277,000 will be provided to West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) as part of a package of Scottish Government measures aimed at preventing homelessness.

At a full council meeting last week, Community Party councillor Jim Bollan asked officers for more information on the extra cash and said: “There will be a lot of tenants in rent arrears through no fault of their own who will be worried on top of other issues.

“I think we need to get on the case as soon as we can.”

There is no application process for a tenant or landlord to use for the grant funding.

Instead local authorities will use their discretion to determine whether a grant payment is appropriate in individual circumstances.

Peter Barry, the authority’s chief officer of housing and employment, told Cllr Bollan: “It is helpful additional funding and we want to get it out as quickly as possible.

“We have demonstrated over the past 18 months that any additional funding we received to help with these welfare issues have been moved onto households and communities as quickly as possible."