COVID-19 Multi Agency Update - Tuesday 14 April

Carlisle City Council

Advice for allotment holders

To ensure allotment sites remain open and users are safe, Carlisle City Council is urging allotment holders to follow the National Allotments Society guidelines and government advice.

Advice has been sent to all allotment holders and signage has been placed at the allotment sites. If an allotment holder has been advised to self-isolate, they should not visit the allotment and stay at home.

Cllr Elizabeth Mallinson, Portfolio holder for Health and Wellbeing, said:

“During the lock down, the government advice is to do a limited amount of daily exercise; this can include tending to your allotment. However, to ensure that social distancing is adhered to, some national guidance has been put in place. We urge allotment holders to follow this and to keep safe during these unprecedented times.”

The National Allotments Society guidance in summary is as follows:

• Keep hand sanitiser in your shed and wash your hands regularly.
• Use hand sanitiser before opening and closing any gate locked.
• Observe “Social Distancing” - stay two metres (6ft) away from other people.
• Do not share tools.
• Minimise the contact with each other for example no handshakes.
• Do not wash your hands in water troughs.
• All communal facilities are closed.
• Please consider neighbours and don’t burn anything during this Covid-19 emergency. Many allotment sites are surrounded by houses where vulnerable people may be getting their own fresh air through an open window or garden.

Further advice from the Association can be found at the following link: https://www.nsalg.org.uk/news/covid19-information/

Support for frontline staff

Carlisle City Council is thanking residents for their support as their frontline staff continue to deliver critical services to local communities.

The council’s frontline staff have been given thank you cards and have been welcomed with rounds of applause as they have been collecting household waste and recycling.

Cllr Nigel Christian, Portfolio holder for Environment and Transport, said:

“We’re delighted with the support our refuse and recycling teams have received during exceptionally difficult circumstances. They’ve received thank you cards and even a few rounds of applause when they’ve been working hard delivering critical services. I’d like to pass on my personal thanks to all the staff from the City Council that have been working on the frontline and also those working behind the scenes to make sure we deliver the best services we can.”

The council has also taken steps to promote the government guidance to Stay at Home, Protect the NHS and Saves Lives by installing signs on their side of all of their recycling vehicles.

Cllr Nigel Christian, added:

“We want to promote the message and help protect our communities. We urge residents to continue following this advice.”

The council is doing everything they can to ensure household waste is collected during the coronavirus outbreak and are continuing to collect kerbside recycling (other than garden waste). They are asking residents to support them by:

• Helping to protect their crews by washing their hands before they put anything in their bin. Also wash their hands before putting out your bin or recycling container out for collection and when bringing it back in. Handwashing with soap and warm water for 20 seconds is still the most effective way to prevent the spread of infection. The council’s crews are wearing gloves, however, if you do this it will help keep our team safe, so we can continue to collect household waste and recycling. If possible, please wash your bin too.
• Making sure cars are parked so they do not block access for the bin wagons. With more cars at home, it is making it difficult to get around the streets easily.
• Show your support to their crews with a wave!

Recycling support

Thanks to all our residents for continuing to recycle. Please help our recycling team by:

• Rinsing tins and jars.
• Make more room in your recycling box and bag, by flattening cardboard containers, squashing cans and plastic bottles and replace bottle tops.
• Also to minimise the risk of littering, fasten your recycling bags and use a green box cover.

Please remember to wash your hands before and after you have handled your bin and recycling containers.

Cleaning and disposal of waste

When cleaning you should use your usual household products, like detergents and bleach, as these will be very effective at getting rid of the virus on surfaces. Clean frequently touched surfaces such as door handles, handrails, remote controls and tabletops. This is particularly important if you have an older or vulnerable person in the house.

Personal waste (such as used tissues) and disposable cleaning cloths can be stored securely within disposable rubbish bags. These bags should be placed into another bag, tied securely and kept separate from other waste. This should be put aside for at least 72 hours before being put in your usual external household waste bin.

Other household waste can be disposed of as normal.

For more information, go tohttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

Help support our vulnerable residents

Carlisle City Council has sent out a plea to private landlords to help them support vulnerable people in Carlisle.

The Council is asking any landlords with available properties to get in touch with its Homelessness Support team athomelessness@carlisle.gov.ukor by calling 01228 817200. Various incentives are on offer such as rent in advance and rent deposits should private landlords be willing to support housing Carlisle’s residents.

Cllr Paul Nedved, Portfolio holder for Economy, Enterprise and Housing, said:

“We are continuing to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and are doing everything we can to support the needs of people facing homelessness in Carlisle.

“Our Homelessness support team has a range of emergency accommodation options including hostels, safe houses and self-contained dispersed provision which are all still operational. However we are appealing to private landlords to contact us and offer their support so that we have every possible resource at our disposal, should we need it. The team is continuing to deliver responsive services 24 hour a day and are doing all they can to support vulnerable residents; including those experiencing domestic abuse and rough sleeping.”

The council continues to provide emergency accommodation to men, women and families in line with statutory responsibilities; and is supporting those who are in their emergency accommodation where it is difficult to self-isolate, making sure that these people have access to the facilities that enable them to adhere to public health guidance on hygiene and self-isolation.

The council is also supporting people to access basics such as food and clinician care who need it, and where possible separate people who have significant drug and alcohol needs from those who do not.

The council is deliveringessential services safely in line with government guidelines to protect vulnerable people and staff. This includes following their usual out of hours approach via telephone interview.

To contact the service:

• Use this linkhttps://hpa2.org/refer/CARL
• Emaildutytorefer@carlisle.gov.uk
• Call 01228 817200 during normal hours.Out of hours contact numbers are 01228 817386 (single women and families) and 01228 817373 (single men).

Carlisle parks and open spaces advice

Carlisle’s parks and green spaces remain open, but to ensure they stay open for everyone to use, Carlisle City Council is advising visitors to follow the Government’s rules to stop the spread of COVID-19.

This means one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household. When doing this, you should be minimising time spent outside of the home and ensuring you are two metres apart from anyone outside of your household.

When using Carlisle’s parks or green spaces, it is vital that you take these steps:

• Do not visit a park if you have any symptoms - See NHS guidelines if this applies to you.
• Stay local and use open spaces near to your home where possible - do not travel unnecessarily.
• Observe social distancing, staying at least two metres apart from other people.
• You should only go outside alone or with members of your own household. Gatherings of more than two in parks or other public spaces are not allowed.
• Avoid touching surfaces (such as gates or handrails) and your mouth and face. Please follow Public Health England advice on hand washing including washing your hands as soon as you get home.
• Keep your dog(s) on leads at all times.
• Do not use areas of the park that have been closed such as play areas, outdoor exercise areas or sports facilities - these are closed for your safety.
• Wash your hands when you get home.

Following government guidance, play areas, multi-use games areas, outdoor exercise areas and the skate park in Castle car park remain closed.

Cllr Elizabeth Mallinson, Portfolio holder for Health and Wellbeing, said:

“Most people are abiding by the social distancing government advice and we’d like to thank those that are protecting the NHS by following the rules and only taking one form of daily exercise a day. I know this must be difficult for those that have no gardens or have small children, but if we follow the rules, we’re supporting our local communities.”