COVID-19 Multi Agency Update - Wednesday 8 April
Cumbria County Council
Update on Household Waste Collection Services
District Councils are working hard to minimise any disruption to kerbside services during this Covid-19 period, however, you may see changes to the times that your collections take place. Please continue to place your rubbish and recycling out for collection as stated in your calendar or on your District Website.
Excess waste
Please help them by not placing out for collection any excess/additional waste. Only waste placed in your bin or your standard amount of bags of residual waste will be collected.
If you have any excess/additional waste please store it until your next collection. Too much excess/additional waste will put added pressure on the ability to collect everyone’s waste on that day. Don’t forget if your bin is too heavy for you to move - it’s too heavy for the collection crew too!
Hygiene
Pease take extra care during this Covid-19 period to wash your hands before placing your bins and boxes out for collection and once you have collected your bin and boxes following collection. Cleaning the handles of the bin and boxes by wiping down will also help prevent the spread of the virus and protect those handling the boxes and bins.
Bring Site Recycling
During the Covid-19 outbreak, there have been closures to some Recycling Bring Sites to encourage people to ‘stay at home’ as this is not an essential journey.
Please do not leave any items whatsoever around the sites (this is classed as fly-tipping) and please adhere to the social distancing if using the sites (2 metres apart). Please ensure you wash your hands as soon as you get home.
DEFRA advice on Public Rights of Way
We know with the better weather and as part of your daily exercise you might be tempted to use public rights of way - if you do please remember to stick to agreed routes and be particularly careful if the path passes through farms where there could be livestock and lambs, keep your dogs on a lead and remember to shut gates behind you.
For landowners we would ask that these rights of way remain open and do not create obstructions.
Please visit the Countryside Alliance website here for more information.
Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service
Help us to prevent wildfires
Firefighters from across Cumbria have tackled two significant wildfires in the last week, which may have been started deliberately. Investigations are currently underway to establish the cause of both fires.
The public are asked to report any suspicious activity to the Police on 101. Attending wildfires or any deliberately started fire can put the public, local wildlife and our firefighters at risk. At a time when we are all supporting the national effort to combat CV19, it is more important than ever before to avoid all fire incidents. This includes the request to not burn garden waste or have bonfires in your garden.
Nathaniel Hooton, Area Manager, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, said:
“It is disappointing to see incidents that could have been avoided. Wild fires spread quickly, threaten local wildlife and tackling the fire takes a large amount of the Fire Service’s time and resources. This is especially important at a time when we are supporting the national effort to respond to the Coronavirus outbreak and focusing our valuable resources on helping our partners and supporting Cumbria’s communities and vulnerable people. I’d urge anyone who sees any suspicious activity to report this to the Police on 101 and help us to keep our communities, and emergency services safe.”
In line with Government guidance people are reminded not to make non-essential journeys, in order to help stop the spread of Covid-19.
Government guidance - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do
For more information about fire safety outdoors, go to https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/cumbriafire/services/safetyathome/outdoorsafety.asp
Cumbria Police
Police ask young people and parents to act responsibly during coronavirus outbreak
Officers in North Cumbria are urging young people to act responsibly following a number of incidents that occurred yesterday (Tuesday 7 April).
Police were called to the following incidents during a ten hour period.
7 April at 11:40am - Group of five youths together on Seatoller Close, Carlisle. Officers attended youths not located.
7 April at 4:00pm - Report of a group of youths outside Co-op on Central Avenue, Carlisle. Officers attended spoke to staff. Youths had dispersed and patrols in the area reported no issues.
7 April at 5:30pm - BBQ at a property on Botcherby Avenue, Carlisle. Reported.
7 April at 7:20pm - Youths reported to have caused criminal damage to banner at Asda, Kingstown. Youths had dispersed.
7 April at 8:50pm - Report of a group of five people camping in the area of Beckfoot Hall, Kirkby Stephen. Officers attended and spoken to the group from Halifax. Advice given regarding government guidance.
Superintendent Matt Kennerley said:
“As we head into the Easter holiday period and as the weather gets nicer we are appealing to parents to speak with their children about what they are doing and the moral responsibility we all have in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
“This is not a time for anyone including young people to congregate in large groups and certainly is no excuse to behave in an antisocial manner or commit criminal offences.
“All our communities need to work together and listen to the advice and stay home, to help save lives and not cause further misery to other members of the community by behaving antisocially during an already difficult time.”
Allerdale Borough Council
Business support grant payments
Business support grants to those affected by the Coronavirus continue to be available. Allerdale Borough Council is administering the payments and has now processed 1,614 grants in total.
The payments awarded so far total £19.95m. As of yesterday (April 7) the council had received 1,907 applications.
Some businesses need to submit their details to be able to receive the support and can do so via the council's website: https://www.allerdale.gov.uk/en/coronavirus/coronavirus-business-grants-claims/.
Stay at home plea
Cllr John Cook, Executive member with responsibility for tourism, is echoing calls from Allerdale Borough Council's colleagues for residents and visitors to stay at home as the Easter weekend draws closer.
Cllr Cook said: "Allerdale is a fantastic place to visit and tourism obviously plays a large role in our economy. However, we are joining our partners in asking people to follow the government's advice not to make any non-essential journeys and come and visit the area.
"We will do whatever we can to help and support those tourism businesses affected by these events. But at the moment, we must all be responsible and follow the government guidance on social distancing and staying at home so that we protect each other from infection, especially the most vulnerable. By doing this we will also protect and support the local NHS services, so that they can do their job helping those who are sick."
Changes to Hackney carriage/private hire vehicle licensing requirements
Due to the coronavirus pandemic there have been some changes to the above licensing requirements. Allerdale BC has published some updated guidance and documents on our website for those with Hackney carriage/private hire licences. It can be found at https://www.allerdale.gov.uk/en/licensing-and-street-trading/taxi-licensing/.
Public inquiry cancelled
A public inquiry into an application for a public path stopping up order on land off Strawberry How Road, Cockermouth, scheduled for June 9, 2020, has been cancelled.
The Planning Inspectorate's decision is due to the current uncertainty around the timescale for a return to normal working and the impending deadlines for the submission of documents for the inquiry. The inquiry will be rescheduled in due course.
Local Resilience Forum
Supporting businesses to keep their workforce during CV19
Cumbria’s Business and Economic Response and Recovery Group (BERRG) is reassuring businesses and employers that help is available if they cannot maintain their current workforce because operations have been severely affected by COVID-19.
The Government’s Job Retention Scheme enables businesses to avoid redundancy of employees that started on or before 28 February 2020, by furloughing them and applying for a grant that covers 80% of their usual monthly wage costs, up to £2,500 a month. This includes the associated Employer National Insurance contributions and minimum automatic enrolment employer pension contributions on that subsidised wage.
The scheme is designed to help employers whose operations have been seriously affected by COVID-19 to retain their employees and protect the UK economy, going forward.
It is initially in place for 3 months from 1 March 2020. However, it may be extended if necessary and employers can use the scheme at any time during this period. Employers can also rehire and furlough any staff they had made redundant after 28 February 2020.
Further details of the scheme and how to access it can be found at: https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-job-retention-scheme/.
Jo Lappin, Chair of the Business and Economic Response and Recovery Group (BERRG) and Chief Executive of the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (CLEP) said: “Lots of our businesses are already aware of the Government’s Job Retention Scheme and are intending to make use of it to avoid unnecessary redundancy of their employees.
“However, we are aware that some businesses might not know about the scheme and we therefore encourage them to explore this option.
“All UK-wide employers with a PAYE scheme that was created and started on or before 28 February 2020 will be eligible, including businesses, charities, recruitment agencies and Public Authorities.
“We know that HMRC is working urgently to establish a system to pay these grants, with the first payments expected to be made shortly and complete by the end of April.”
She added “It is essential that everything possible is done to retain our workforce and support our businesses, as they will be critical to economic recovery over the next few months.”
