17
June 2021 Issued by the Communications Team—publicrelations@chichester.gov.uk www.chichester.gov.uk/coronavirus www.twitter.com/ChichesterDC www.facebook.com/ChichesterDistrictCouncil This briefing is to keep you updatedon the
evolving situation around coronavirus (COVID-19) and the actions being taken in
the district. It also includes general local updates.
Who does it affect? ·
Residents and businesses within the
district ·
Chichester District Council staff
and councillors ·
Parish councils ·
Community groups and charitable organisations In this briefing Local
news ·
Service status ·
Chichester District Council’s Customer Services
Centre reopens next week ·
NHS coronavirus vaccination service ·
Chichester District Council by-election ·
Time is running out to apply for the EU
Settlement Scheme ·
Support for those facing homelessness and landlord
survey ·
Help with housing payments and bills ·
Have you shared your views in our ‘Let’s Talk:
Air Quality’ consultation? ·
Covid business grants — two weeks to go ·
Boundary Commission constituency consultation ·
Stay up to date National
news ·
Update on coronavirus restrictions and guidance
for care homes ·
COVID-19 vaccine efficacy ·
Safety in out-of-school settings ·
Eviction protection extended for businesses ·
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 variants identified
in UK ·
The R value and growth rate ·
100 Days Mission to Respond to Future Pandemic
Threats report ·
Tourism Recovery Plan ·
EU transition updates ·
Share this with a friend ·
Follow us
Latest update On Monday, the Prime Minister confirmed a four-week delay to Step
4 of the Government’s roadmap. This is due to concerns caused by the Delta
variant and to allow for more people to receive their second dose of a
coronavirus vaccine before further restrictions are eased. Step 3 restrictions
remain in place, however the Government is removing the 30 person gathering
limit for weddings, receptions and commemorative events, subject to social
distancing guidelines, from 21 June. Also from this date, some further
restrictions will be lifted for care home residents. More information can be
found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-at-coronavirus-press-conference-14-june-2021
andhere: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do.
It is expected that England will move to Step 4 on 19
July, however the data will be reviewed after two weeks in case the risks have
reduced. The Government will continue to monitor the data and the move to Step
4 will be confirmed a week in advance. More
than 30 million people in the UK have now been
vaccinated with a second dose of a coronavirus vaccine, with 79% of adults
having now received a first dose. This week, the Health Secretary held a press
conference to provide an update on the vaccination programme. He highlighted
new data which shows that two doses of the vaccine are just as effective
against hospital admission with the Delta variant, compared to the Alpha
variant. He also confirmed that the Government will bring forward second doses
of vaccines for over-40s and the clinically vulnerable groups to eight weeks
after the first dose, and that the Government’s aim is to give every adult in
this country a first vaccine dose by 19 July. The online vaccination booking
system is now open to 23 and 24 year olds and details on booking a vaccine can
be found below.
Local
News
Service
status
The
majority of our services are currently operating as usual, and an update on all
of our services can be found at: https://www.chichester.gov.uk/councilservicestatus.
Our Customer Services Centre and East Pallant House
will be reopening next Monday (21 June) and you can read more about this below.
Chichester
District Council’s Customer Services Centre reopens next week
From
Monday 21 June, our Customer Services Centre at East Pallant House will reopen
to the public with a raft of new improvements. When the centre reopens, our
Customer Service Officers will meet and greet customers to make sure that they
can quickly access the services that they need. As part of this new approach,
they will assist people who want to self-serve online at dedicated computer
terminals. It is hoped that this will help customers to access council services
online at http://www.chichester.gov.uk
in the future, at a place and time that is most convenient to them. If a
face-to-face appointment is needed, our friendly Customer Service team can
arrange this. In addition to these improvements, the
council has also reviewed its opening times and will be open from 9am to 5pm
each day, apart from Thursdays when opening times will be from 10am to 5pm,
starting from 1 July 2021. NHS
coronavirus vaccination service More than 1.8million
vaccinations have now been delivered across Sussex. Our NHS colleagues have
advised us that services are being extended to increase the number of places
that people under 40 can go for their vaccination in West Sussex. The service
at Westgate Leisure Centre in Chichester is being extended so that it can offer
the Pfizer vaccine (which is recommended for people aged under 40) as well as
the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.
To find out if you are currently eligible for a vaccine, please visit: https://www.sussexhealthandcare.uk/keepsussexsafe/sussex-covid-19-vaccination-programme/. People who are eligible can book their appointment
by visiting https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/or calling 119. Everyone is encouraged to come
forward for their second vaccination when they have an appointment as both
doses give maximum protection against the virus. People are also being reminded
to follow Government guidance around ‘hands, face, space and fresh air’ once they’ve
had their vaccination. Chichester
District Council by-election A by-election to fill a
councillor vacancy for our Chichester East ward is taking place next Thursday
24 June between 7am and 10pm. Covidsafety
measures will be in place at polling stations and we ask that voters wear a
face covering and keep a safe distance from other voters and staff. If you are
voting in this election but are experiencing coronavirus symptoms or have been
instructed to self-isolate, please do not go to your polling station — instead,
please call our Elections team on: 01243 521010. The polling stations for this
election are: Chichester Children and Family Centre, St James Road; Swanfield
Park Community Centre, Swanfield Drive; and The Bassil Shippam Centre, Tozer
Way. More information about this election and the candidates can be found at: https://www.chichester.gov.uk/currentelections
Time
is running out to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme Over
5.6 million applications have now been made to the EU Settlement Scheme with
less than two weeks to go before the 30 June deadline. We’re working with Arun
& Chichester Citizens Advice to remind EU citizens living in
the Chichester District that they need to apply for the scheme as soon as
possible in order to protect their rights to healthcare, benefits and
pensions. People can register for the scheme before 30 June by visiting http://www.gov.uk/eusettlementschemeand can access help and support by calling Arun
Chichester Citizens Advice free on: 0808 2787969 (Mon to Fri 9am -
4:30pm). Access to interpreters is also available.
The Home Office has published a new guide for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
explaining how they can view and prove their immigration status, update their
details, what they should expect when crossing the UK border, and how to get
help accessing their immigration status. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/view-and-prove-your-immigration-status-evisa
Support
for those facing homelessness and landlord survey The end of furlough, a drop in casual
vacancies, and an increase in unemployment — all of which are connected with
the coronavirus pandemic — have put many tenants under financial pressure.
Alongside other local authorities across West Sussex, we are taking a number of
proactive steps to help those affected remain in their homes, which includes
offering a range of advice and support to help those
at risk. As part of this, we are asking landlords and
letting agents in our area to let us know how their tenants may have been
affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. Feedback from this county-wide survey
will help us establish a detailed picture of the situation in the local area
and prioritise support where it is needed. If you are a landlord or letting
agent in the district, please help us by taking part in our quick survey at: https://wh1.snapsurveys.com/s.asp?k=162099449179 Anyone who is concerned that they may lose
their home as a result of not being able to meet their rent or mortgage
payments can contact our Housing Advice Team by emailing housingadvice@chichester.gov.uk
or calling 01243 534734. Help with housing payments and bills
We know
that there are people in our district who may be struggling with the stress of
changes to their financial situation, but help is available and we would really
urge you to contact us before things get more serious, so that we can provide
help and advice. Residents can find more information and useful links at: https://www.chichester.gov.uk/helpwithfinances,
or contact our team by emailing benefits@chichester.gov.uk.
Have
you shared your views in our ‘Let’s Talk: Air Quality’ consultation? Today
marks Clean Air Day, which aims to raise awareness about air pollution and
provide information about making the air cleaner and healthier for everyone.
We’ve been sharing information about the campaign on our social media channels
and we’re also reminding people to share their views on our Air Quality Action
Plan in our ‘Let’s Talk: Air Quality’ consultation before it closes on 28 June.
Our revised Air Quality Action Plan sets out a number of ways in which we
propose to continue improving air quality in our district, and we’re keen to
hear your views. To have your say, please visit http://www.chichester.gov.uk/letstalkairquality
before midnight on 28 June 2021. Covid business grants — two
weeks to go
Has
your business applied for a Government Covid support grant? The current grants
will close on 30 June 2021, so if you own a business in the district, please
check to see if you are eligible and apply by visiting:http://www.chichester.gov.uk/businessratesannouncements. Boundary Commission constituency
consultation Did
you know that Parliamentary constituencies are set to change? The independent
Boundary Commission is redrawing the map of constituencies in England with the
aim of making the number of electors in them more equal. Changes to our
constituency boundaries are being suggested as part of this process. You can
find out more and leave your comments at: http://www.bcereviews.org.uk Stay
up to date Keep up-to-date on all the
latest council news by visiting our Latest News page:https://www.chichester.gov.uk/latestnews. Here, you can find: ·
the latest media releases, ·
this week’s District Dispatch column, ·
previous issues of our newsletter that you may
have missed.
National
news
Update
on coronavirus restrictions and guidance for care homes This week, the Government
announced that people working in Care Quality Commission (CQC)-registered care
homes will need to be fully COVID-19 vaccinated with two doses of a COVID-19
vaccine unless they have a medical exemption, from October. More details can be
found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/everyone-working-in-care-homes-to-be-fully-vaccinated-under-new-law-to-protect-residents.
On 14 June, the Government
announced that care home residents will be able to spend more time with family
and friends, including overnight stays away from care homes: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/care-home-residents-can-stay-overnight-as-visiting-restrictions-ease.From 21 June, people admitted to a care home
from the community will no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival
and care home residents can now nominate an ‘Essential Care Giver’ to provide
additional support during visits. The Department of Health and
Social Care has also updated the guidance for adult social care providers on
COVID-19 guidance and support: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/overview-of-adult-social-care-guidance-on-coronavirus-covid-19.
COVID-19
vaccine efficacy Public Health England has
published its latest weekly surveillance report showing
that the Covid-19 vaccinationprogramme prevented 14,000 deaths in those
aged 60 and older in England up to 30 May. Analysis also suggests that at least
42,000 hospitalisations were prevented in those aged 65 and older in England in
the same time period. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/covid-19-vaccine-surveillance-report-published. Safety
in out-of-school settings The
Department for Education has updated the protective measures guidance for
providers of community activities, holiday or after-school clubs, tuition and
other out-of-school settings: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak
Eviction protection extended for businesses The Secretary of State for
Housing, Communities and Local Government has announced that the existing
measures to protect commercial tenants from eviction will be extended to 25
March 2022: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/eviction-protection-extended-for-businesses-most-in-need.
The Government also announced that it has extended temporary insolvency
measures to support businesses during the Covid-19 outbreak. Confirmed
cases of COVID-19 variants identified in UK Public Health England is
publishing weekly updates on the number of confirmed new cases of variants of
concern and variants under investigation in the UK. The latest data shows that
cases of the Delta variant have risen by 29,892 to 42,323. More information can
be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/confirmed-cases-of-covid-19-variants-identified-in-uk The R
value and growth rate The Government has published
the latest reproduction number (R) and growth rate of COVID-19 in England: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-r-value-and-growth-rate.
The R value in England is currently between 1.2 and 1.4 meaning that, on
average, every 10 people infected will infect between 12 and 14 other people.
The growth rate in England is currently between 3% and 6% meaning that the
number of new infections is growing by between 3% and 6% every day.
100
Days Mission to Respond to Future Pandemic Threats report
On 12 June, the Government
published a report to the G7 group of nations on making diagnostics,
therapeutics and vaccines available within 100 days of a pandemic threat being
identified.The
report recommends that theinternational community should aim for the
following interventions to be available in the first 100 days of the World
Health Organization declaring a Public Health Emergency of International
Concern.The announcement can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/100-days-mission-to-respond-to-future-pandemic-threats
Tourism
Recovery Plan
The Department for Digital,
Culture, Media and Sport has published its Tourism Recovery Plan, which sets
out the role that the UK Government will play in supporting the tourism
sector’s recovery from COVID-19: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tourism-recovery-plan.
The Government also announced that later this year it will launch a new rail
pass for ‘staycationers’ to help make it easier for domestic tourists to get
around the country. In autumn, the National Lottery will also launch a £10
million voucher scheme to encourage trips beyond the peak summer season, with
players having the chance to claim vouchers to redeem at tourist attractions
across the UK between September 2021 and March 2022. EU
Transition updates This
month, the Government published an overview of what the UK-EU free trade deal
means in practice now the UK has left the EU. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/summary-the-uks-new-relationship-with-the-eu.Businesses can also use the Brexit Checker tool,
which provides a personalised list of the most
up to date actions that businesses need to take: https://www.gov.uk/transition
Earlier this year, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced a £20
million small and medium sized businesses (SME) Brexit Support Fund to support
SMEs to adjust to new customs, rules of origin, and VAT rules when trading with
the EU. SMEs who trade only with the EU, and are therefore new to importing and
exporting processes, will be encouraged to apply for grants of up to £2,000 to
pay for practical support, including training and professional advice, to
ensure they can continue trading effectively with the EU. The Fund will help
businesses to prepare for the implementation of import controls which come into
effect from July 2021 and will close on 30 June or earlier if all funding is allocated
before this date. More information can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-20-million-sme-brexit-support-fund
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this with a friend
As the
situation around coronavirus changes, it’s important that people across our
district have the most up-to-date information possible. Please encourage your
friends and family to sign up to this newsletter so that we can all be prepared
and play our part in the fight against the virus. Sign up at: http://www.chichester.gov.uk/newsalerts | 
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