Coronavirus: Call centre, parking and education updates in Peterborough

People needing to get in contact can call 01733 747474 or email [email protected].

LATEST: Coronavirus: More Peterborough restaurants adapt to survive with takeaways and deliveries

Coronavirus: Nene Valley Railway appeals for donations to survive, Queensgate ends late night shopping, mosques suspend services

Coronavirus: Peterborough chippy offers free deliveries to vulnerable residents

Coronavirus: Call for Peterborough and Cambridgeshire residents to volunteer at new council hub

Coronavirus: Yaxley florist leaves bouquets for community to enjoy

This is just one of the daily updates currently being provided by Peterborough City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council:

Education

The Government earlier this week announced that schools would close, apart from for the children of key workers (list can be found here).

The council said: “We have continued our conversations with professionals across the education sector and are working closely with schools, early years and childcare settings, including childminders, to mobilise the actions resulting from the Government announcements.

“This has included working with schools to create educations packs and resources that will allow children to continue learning at home and online activity ideas for early years children.

“We will support our most vulnerable pupils and yesterday we wrote to our schools and settings to provide clear guidance to ensure procedures remain in place to protect our most vulnerable children; which may include deploying our own local authority staff where resource allows.

“In order to enable key workers to remain at work during this period, we will cater for their children in our schools and will be closely monitoring the situation.

“We will continue to offer our support and guidance to schools and settings.”

School in year applications

Applications for parents/guardians applying for a school place for their child outside of the usual school applications times are closing for a minimum of four weeks.

The councils said: “This will ensure priority is given to primary and secondary applications for September 2020. Exceptional circumstances will be considered for families who have moved into Cambridgeshire or a child without a school place.”

More information can be found at: https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/residents/schools-and-education/school-admissions/school-admissions-appeals.

Council meetings

The councils said: “In the absence of any emergency legislation coming forward so far from central government which allows for virtual council meetings, we have taken the decision to cancel council meetings at both councils for next week.

“Officers have formed a project group to consider the IT options for virtual meetings in anticipation of this legislation coming forward in the near future, so we are prepared to start meetings again as soon as we are legally able to do so.”

Car parking

In Peterborough, the council has been working with cashless parking provider PayByPhone and will be placing stickers on all council car park meters in the city.

It said this will encourage motorists to pay for their parking using contactless payments where possible.

Business Improvement District

A Business Improvement District is a defined area in which businesses are required to pay an additional tax to fund projects within the district’s boundaries.

The ballot for businesses in Peterborough city centre to create a BID will be postponed until spring 2021.

The council said: “This will allow city businesses and employers to focus on the immediate issues affecting them. Peterborough City Council is working with the BID and other business organisations in the city to ensure businesses are getting the support promised by government and to assist businesses which already pay little or no business rates with accessing Government grants that have now been set up.

“We are also working with banks and building societies to provide businesses with information and resources they can send to their employees to advise on debt management and budgeting.”

Staffing

Both councils said: “While it is vital we continue providing services to our community, we are constantly ensuring that our most vulnerable staff remain safe. We continue to follow government advice to safeguard people in vulnerable groups – such as those over 70 or with underlying health conditions.

“Those who can carry out their work from home have been advised to do so. Individuals in a critical or core service have been asked to liaise with their mangers about how to continue to manage their work. For vulnerable people, we will look at whether some roles can be undertaken by colleagues through re-purposing or redeployment if necessary.”

Fenland

Leader of Fenland District Council Cllr Chris Boden has issued a statement:

Coronavirus (COVID-19) was first diagnosed in December 2019 within China. Since that time it has spread rapidly to the extent that the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified it as a pandemic.

The impact of COVID-19 is increasingly evident across the UK. Fenland is also feeling that impact. I felt it important to table this urgent cabinet statement to provide a clear commitment to Fenland’s residents and businesses of everything the council will continue to do in support of them.

The council has quickly mobilised its business continuity arrangements in preparedness to deal with COVID-19. These plans will ensure that key services will continue to function with a minimum amount of disruption. The council is also ensuring that Government and Public Health England (PHE) advice is readily available to all.

In such uncertain times frequent communication is vital. The council is sending out regular updates to its employees and elected members along with informative press releases to the public. The council’s website and social media outlets are being refreshed daily.

Our workforce continues to provide excellent services to residents and businesses through this difficult time. In order to support their continued contribution measures such as remote and flexible working, hand sanitisers and protective equipment are being made available where necessary. These measures will help to provide the ongoing resilience required to ensure that key services continue to function.

Whilst the council will do everything within its powers to minimise the disruption associated with COVID-19 there is the potential for some impact. Where this may occur, both our members and residents will be kept fully updated.

Fenland District Council is aware of the significant anxiety that exists within the minds of our older people and across our business community.

The council is committed to playing a full part to ensure that our older and most vulnerable residents receive the support required to protect them from the impact of COVID-19. This includes the following:

. A database of the over 70s and an assessment of people’s needs

. Supporting the establishment of the Cambridgeshire County Council-led volunteer hub

. Liaising closely with town and parish councils, community and voluntary groups and other key partners, such as the county council, to mobilise district wide volunteering capacity

. A social-distancing hotline that will be provided through the council’s contact centre to help signpost people to the local support available.

Fenland’s local economy and our cherished businesses are starting to see the impact of COVID-19. Earlier this week the Chancellor announced a comprehensive package of support to assist businesses through these difficult times. This included business rates holiday periods, business grants and loans, along with the hardship fund.

The council is already implementing the business rates relief measures and is eagerly awaiting government guidance to ensure the other means of support are quickly made available.

These are unprecedented times and the impact of COVID-19 is profound, however, working as one unified member and officer team this council will do everything in its powers to positively respond to the Government’s call to arms in providing every possible support to our communities, their residents and our highly valued local businesses.