Coronavirus: Peterborough authorities ‘working around the clock’ to keep essential services going

For many it is a very worrying time and life as we know it will be changing temporarily. But I would like to reassure readers that the council, its partners and other public sector organisations, such as health services and the police, are working around the clock to make sure essential services can continue.

At this challenging time our primary focus is on making sure that the people whose care we are responsible for are still looked after.

We are implementing plans to ensure our critical services will continue to run, while making sure the health of our staff and those vulnerable people in our communities can be protected.

We must all prioritise and look out for those in our society who will be the most affected by the measures introduced by the Government.

Think about your family and friends who are vulnerable or elderly; check that they are prepared for self-isolation and when they enter this phase, ensure they are okay. What could you do to help them - deliver shopping, cook them a meal, or call them every other day so that they are still getting interaction?

In order to support our communities at this challenging time we will be establishing a volunteer hub. Once we have identified the number and individuals needed to deliver our critical services, we will be asking other staff to use their skills and experiences to support this hub as well as working with, and engaging, communities.

It is also a time of great uncertainty for businesses, so I was pleased to see the Chancellor Rishi Sunak promising Government loans and the cessation of business rates for many for 12 months. He also spoke about an additional cash grant of up to £25,000 for retail and leisure businesses. Further measures are likely to be announced in the coming days about efforts to support businesses. Visit www.gov.uk for all the latest information.

For the general public at large, the advice is changing with every day. But for the time being, if you live alone and you have symptoms of Coronavirus - a temperature or a new continuous cough - stay at home for seven days from when your symptoms begin. If you live in a house with other people and you or one of those people develops symptoms, you are now being asked to stay at home for 14 days.

These measures might seem extreme, but they are necessary to stop us all being infected at the same time. This will give the health services the chance to help everyone who needs it, including those with conditions other than coronavirus.

The Government is also advising that those who are able to should work from home and that we limit unnecessary social interaction such as going to theatres, pubs and clubs. Mass gatherings are being cancelled too, including council meetings, concerts and sporting events. We are awaiting Government advice on how we can run council meetings in the coming weeks and months. It is expected that, from this weekend, vulnerable groups, including those with a long-term medical condition and over 70s, will be asked to self-isolate at home for 12 weeks.

Please keep an eye on the Government’s website for the latest information. And please continue to wash your hands regularly and for 20 seconds.

This is a time of great anxiety, but as the Prime Minister has rightly said, we can and will get through this. But it will require a collective effort of resilience, determination and positivity to not only beat the virus, but to ensure there is life after it.

. At the start of the year I announced I would be retiring at the local elections in May. The Electoral Commission announced last week that all elections will be postponed for 12 months. Having discussed it with my family and the Conservative group on the council, I have decided to postpone retirement and remain a councillor and will be standing for leader again in May. In these times of uncertainty and in the interests of stability, I consider it the right thing to do.