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News  »  Update on services etc. from Cambridgeshire County Council



   Update on services etc. from Cambridgeshire County Council    23 March, 2020

COVID-19 Coordination hub

Following yesterday’s press conference by the Prime Minister, Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council, in response to the MHCLG direction, have already launched a COVID-19 coordination hub to provide targeted support for those most at risk during the Coronavirus outbreak.

The hub will have a specific focus on providing access to food, medicines and other supplies in the first instance. As well as co-ordinate the need to make sure there is adequate staff and resource capacity to serve a significant increased level of demand in critical service areas, such as the NHS and social care.

We're waiting for guidance and instruction from Government in relation to the coordination of food, medicines and other support to the highly vulnerable list, the details of which will be shared with us this week and will draw in all necessary support from our partners, including the military, to support this vital work.

Peterborough Community Centres 

We are aware that in light of the government advice on social distancing some Community Centres have already closed and we suggest they all consider doing the same in order to keep staff and our communities safe. We have recently launched a Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Coordination Hub to help those in our communities most affected.  Our hub will work alongside community centre groups and ensure we can reach everyone who needs our support at this difficult time. For more information visit our website

Changes to bus services in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council has been told of the following changes to bus services:

Delaine Bus Route Changes in Peterborough 

Service 101 (Morton - Bourne - The Deepings - Peterborough) - normal service apart from last bus from Peterborough 19.15, Sunday departures from Peterborough now 10.00, 12.00, 14.00 & 17.00
Service 102 (The Deepings - Peterborough) - Full Suspension - departures from Peterborough now 07.30, 09.45, 11.15, 12.45 & 14.15
Service 201 (Bourne - Stamford - Peterborough) - normal operation

Changes to CallConnect service

CallConnect is a bus service for rural communities which can be requested by pre-booking only. The times the buses operate will be unaffected. However, the call centre that users phone to request a service will be reducing its opening hours by one hour at the end of each day. These temporary changes will help the service ensure it has sufficient staffing levels. The revised opening hours will be:

  • Mon-Fri - CallConnect emergencies and cancellations: 8am-6pm, Drivers: 6.30am-6pm, Main booking service: 8.30am-5.30pm (Welland and North Lincs 8am-5pm).
  • Saturday - CallConnect emergencies and cancellations: 8am-5pm, Drivers: 7.30am-5pm, Main booking service: 9am-4.30pm (Welland and North Lincs 8.30am-4pm).

Stagecoach

Changes will be made to the following services provided by Stagecoach. For full service changes visit the Stagecoach website:

  • Guided Busway - postponing launch of busway service until further notice and service changes
  • Cambridge Park & Ride
  • Cambridge Service
  • 99 Service
  • X5 Service
  • Bedford Service
  • Peterborough Service
  • Cambridge City Sightseeing Tour
  • Fenstanton Service

Gladstone Park Community Centre

The Gladstone Park Community Centre will be closed from today (Monday) until further notice because of the impact of COVID-19. All bookings have been cancelled until the end of April in the first instance, and arrangements are being made for staff to continue to be available remotely to take enquiries during the centre's normal opening hours.    

Cambridgeshire libraries to close

Following the Prime Minister’s words on Friday (20 March), increasing social distancing by closing many social venues, we are striving to maintain key functions of the library service across Cambridgeshire.

We must do this in a way which minimises the risk of infection to our customers and staff as we face the COVID- 19 pandemic, so from next week we plan to focus on increased digital and online offer, and an appointments based system for all Cambridgeshire County Council libraries.

This means that from today (Monday), our Library buildings will close but the service is working to create an alternative service offer including:

  • Appointments to use IT for those who most need it
  • A drop off / collection service for item reservations on an appointment basis – with items quarantined for 72 hours between loans

During the closure period, there will be no fines for overdue materials. Loans will also be extended until isolation advice is lifted for everyone.

An online offer will be available to give people access to digital books at home, more information about our online library service can be found here

Vivacity

Vivacity have closed all their services in line with Government guidance, this includes libraries and leisure centres in Peterborough, including the Key Theatre. For more details visit their website

Schools and Key workers

Following updated advice from central government, we've contacted schools and early years settings across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to clarify the national position on school closures and key workers.

The message from Government is clear - if it is possible for children to be at home safely, then they should be. Parents should not rely on, or ask for, childcare to be provided by anyone who should be stringently social distancing, such as grandparents or those with underlying health conditions. Schools will be asked to provide optional care for those children who are deemed to be vulnerable. Read more here

Children whose parents are ‘Key Workers’ – those whom the government deem critical to the COVID-19 response - will also be considered if they cannot be cared for at home. This will be the case if one or both parents are classed as key workers, and there is no means by which to keep the child at home, or in single parent families where the parent’s occupation falls within the list.

Garden Waste Collections for Peterborough

Anyone signed up to receive garden waste collections will no longer need to renew this service in April. Subscriptions will automatically be extended until July free of charge and the recurring direct debits will be paused.​ During this period no new subscribers will be able join the service and collections frequency will reduce to monthly. This will enable the council and Aragon Direct Services to prioritise collection of Green Recycling, Black Residual and Grey Food Caddie bins for all residents. 

Peterborough Bereavement Service – Peterborough Crematorium

The following changes will be taking place:

Funerals

Following Government advice there is currently no ban on funeral gatherings, however for chapel services, families are asked to consider restricting attendance to close family and friends only.  If anyone is unable to attend a service due to self-isolation or underlying health problems, a live web cam facility is available at a reduced cost throughout this period. For further information in regards to this, please contact your funeral director

Bereavement Services

This will change to an appointment only based service. Please contact the team on 01733 262639 to make an appointment or for advice.

https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/residents/births-deaths-and-ceremonies/memorials

You can keep up-to-date with any changes to our services on our websites:

Our advice and latest information on Coronavirus can be found on both websites - www.peterborough.gov.uk/coronavirus and www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/coronavirus 

Information for specific groups

Advice and support for specific groups including Gypsy, Roma, and Travellers; health advice for Migrants and non-English speaking residents, together with those suffering financial hardship is available on the Covid-19 pages of Cambridgeshire County and Peterborough City Councils’ website.

Prime Minister’s Statement on Coronavirus

On 16 March, the Prime Minister made the following statement:

  • If you or anyone in your household has one of two key symptoms, a high temperature or a new and continuous cough, then you should stay at home for fourteen days.
  • That means that if possible you should not go out even to buy food or essentials, other than for exercise, and in that case at a safe distance from others.
  • If necessary, you should ask for help from others for your daily necessities. And if that is not possible, then you should do what you can to limit your social contact when you leave the house to get supplies.
  • Even if you don’t have symptoms and if no one in your household has symptoms, you should stop non-essential contact with others and stop all unnecessary travel.
  • We need people to start working from home where they possibly can. You should avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other social venues.
  • We should all only use the NHS when we really need to. Please go online rather than ringing NHS 111.
  • This advice is particularly important for people over 70, for pregnant women and for those with some health conditions.

You can read the latest guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK and protecting older people and vulnerable adults, published on Monday 16 March at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people

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