Jobless crisis
looming as Pandemic continues to pound the economy
THOUSANDS of workers
could lose their jobs as major companies announced cuts to staff
in the UK as Businesses that have furloughed staff during the
Coronavirus pandemic must now start contributing to the
Government's job retention scheme.
With plans get back to a form of 'normal' dashed due to lockdown
easing within England being halted by the Prime Minister, Boris
Johnson, on Friday, due to a rise in cases businesses are facing
going to the wall. The 1 size fits all approach with the
Government's support packages is now leading to an inevitable
conclusion, which will take generations to recover from, if at
all, should action not be taken soon.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has since warned the
Government, again, not to "pull up the business support
drawbridge’ but these please are falling on death ears. Up to
now the Job Retention programme, that was praised when it was
introduced by the UK's Treasury, has provided to be a fantastic
safety net, preventing mass redundancies, but now it is going to
fail, as rhetoric takes over. Now most small businesses are
looking down the barrel and face a lose-lose scenario.
Without support now, many businesses that are still struggling,
but paying staff that are unable to be used and the financial
pressure mounting, many will have no choice but fold, as even
laying workers off will take cash many do not have. This no-win
situation many now face will lead to massive amounts of
bankruptcy and redundancies. In turn this will trigger a
recession and a chain reaction on our economy, which will be as
hard to stop as the Coronavirus.
Already 1,700 jobs are at risk with DW Sports going into
administration and that is just 1 of the many big names to
struggle. But, it is the small names that will inevitable be the
worse hit though will be the small businesses, who are going
under without the headlines. They are the very businesses the UK
needs the most for stimulating innovation and keeping many in
the UK after Brexit.
'The Eat
Out to Help Out' scheme has launched
THE HMRC have said that
5,048 outlets have so far signed up for the 'The Eat Out to Help
Out' scheme in the North West. You can check to find outlets in
individual towns and cities by downloading the list here from
the Gov.UK
website. Alternatively, you
can use the online restaurant finder to search for participating
outlets using a postcode on the .Gov.UK
website. They added that:-
"We feel that it’s important to point out that this number
only relates to businesses that have less than 26 outlets. The
actual figure that includes:- larger restaurant chains in your
Region is higher. Across the UK more than 72,000 individual
outlets are signed up, as of midday on 31 July 2020, to take
part in the Eat Out to Help Out scheme."
Consultation
under way on 'life saving' landlord licensing proposal
CONSULTATION gets under
way today on a comprehensive:- 'Landlord Licensing Scheme'
which would cover around 80% of privately rented
properties in Liverpool. In January, Communities Secretary
Robert Jenrick turned down an application to keep the Citywide
scheme going from April 2020, claiming the Council did not
provide robust evidence to show low housing demand across the
City. This was despite it being backed by Merseyside Police,
Mersey Fire and Rescue Service and the majority of residents who
responded to the consultation.
Back in July 2020, the Council's Cabinet approved a plan to
start consultation on a new preferred scheme, based on poor
property conditions, which would target the 16 wards in the City
where at least 1 in 5 homes is owned by a private landlord. It
would mean that around 45,000 of the 55,000 properties in the
original scheme would still be covered by the initiative, giving
the Council additional powers to drive up standards and keep
vulnerable tenants safe.
The wards included would be:- Central, Riverside, Greenbank,
Kensington, Picton, Tuebrook and Stoneycroft, County, Anfield,
St Michael's, Princes Park, Kirkdale, Old Swan, Warbreck,
Wavertree, Fazakerley and Everton.
The Council is also consulting on 2 alternatives, which would
include slightly fewer wards. 1, based on low housing demand,
would cover all of those in the preferred option, apart from
Greenbank, St Michael's and Wavertree. The other, based on
deprivation, would include all of those in the preferred option,
apart from Central and Wavertree.
Whichever scheme is taken forward, the Council would still
investigate issues with properties outside of the designated
landlord licensing area if it receives complaints and referrals.
Deputy Mayor and Cabinet member for housing, Councillor Lynnie
Hinnigan, said:- "All the evidence over the last 5 years
shows landlord licensing made a massive difference to the lives
of our most vulnerable residents. Rogue landlord were compelled
to take action to improve electrical and fire safety standards,
as well as dealing with issues such as damp and anti-social
behaviour. What we are looking at is introducing one of the
largest schemes in the country covering the vast majority of
properties that were under the original programme. Using our
powers under the licensing scheme to proactively address poor
management of properties meant that we tackled head on the
dangerous living conditions that contribute to poor health such
as excess cold. This life saving scheme ensures landlords meet
their obligations and put in smoke detectors and fire doors as
required by law. Every single penny we get would be ring fenced
for the landlord licensing service, with our team out on the
streets every day inspecting properties, chasing disrepair and
taking the strongest action against landlords who refuse to
manage and keep their properties safe. We want as many people as
possible to give us feedback on the proposal and have their say
to help inform the process."
The 3 month consultation will run until October 2020, with a
submission made to the Government for ministerial consideration
in December 2020. The consultation can be found on:-
Liverpool.Gov.UK.
Total UK cases COVID-19 cases - update for Liverpool City Region
and surroundings
THE UK Coronavirus
(COVID-19) infections that have been laboratory confirmed,
within the UK, has risen by 938 cases and the total number now
stand at 305,623, that includes tests carried out by commercial
partners which are not included in the 4 National totals.
Daily number of COVID-19 associated UK fatalities added to the
total, was sadly reported to be 9 according to the Department of
Health. The total number of deaths of people who have had a
positive test result confirmed by a Public Health or NHS
laboratory is 46,210.
In England, there are a total of 263,602 confirmed cases. North
West - total of 46,739 confirmed cases. The number of laboratory
confirmed cases within the following Local Authorities, in and
around the Liverpool City Region are as follows:-
►
Liverpool,
2,585 confirmed cases.
Warning issued to Princes Park residents.
► Sefton, 1,573 confirmed cases.
► Wirral, 2,075 confirmed cases.
► St. Helens, 1,213 confirmed cases
► Halton, 705 confirmed cases.
►
Blackpool, 1,049 confirmed cases.
Urgent warning issued to
residents.
►
Blackburn with Darwen,
1,458 confirmed cases.
.
Under local lockdown
warning
►
Bolton, 2,010
confirmed cases.
Under local lockdown
warning.
►
Bury, 1,359 confirmed
cases.
Under local lockdown
warning.
► Cheshire West and Chester, 2,051 confirmed cases.
► Cheshire East, 2,258 confirmed cases.
►
Lancashire, 7,191 confirmed cases.
Urgent warning issued to
residents.
►
Manchester, 3,354 confirmed cases.
Under local lockdown
warning.
►
Oldham, 2,179 confirmed
cases.
Under new local lockdown
measures!
►
Rochdale, 1,897 confirmed cases.
Under local lockdown
warning
►
Stockport, 1,782 confirmed cases.
Under local lockdown
warning.
►
Tameside, 1,643 confirmed cases.
Under local lockdown
warning.
►
Trafford, 1,450 confirmed cases.
Under local lockdown
warning.
►
Wigan, 2,191 confirmed cases.
Under local lockdown
warning.