Southport
Testing Centre
A
Spokesperson for Sefton Council said:-
"The location of the testing centre has always
been Southport Town Hall and this remains the case. Sefton
Council has worked hard with Deloitte to amend the site plans to
change the entrance to the Town Hall from the One Stop Shop to
Corporation Street following visits to the traders on Friday,
over the weekend and on Monday to listen to their concerns.
However, it is important that there is no confusion for users on
the location, the testing centre will still be in Southport Town
Hall, as was always planned. However access to the site will now
be via the Corporation Street entrance rather than Cambridge
Arcade. Although there will be a minor delay to opening of the
testing centre due to these additional works required, this
remains the best and most trusted location for a walk-in centre,
within 30 minutes' walk for as many of Southport's residents as
possible; particularly for those without vehicular access.
Testing is vital to response, recovery, and the continued
protection of lives and livelihoods. A semi permanent testing
centre in Southport Town Centre will be critical to the
wellbeing of all residents, and in turn to the local economy."
Charity
shops on the North West 'more important to society' than
ever
A survey commissioned
by the British Heart Foundation shows shoppers in the North West
expected to shop 2nd hand to save money and support those in
need, following pandemic. Charity shops could be vital to the
recovery from the Coronavirus pandemic by helping people save
money, shop sustainably and fund charitable services, according
to a new survey. The survey showed that 30% of adults in
the North West feel that charity shops are more important to
society following Covid-19, while just under four in ten (36%)
agree that being sustainable and thinking about the environment
when they shop is more important than before.
Of those who think charity shops will be more important for
society in the North West:-
► 72% say it's because charity shops provide affordable items to
those with financial concerns.
► 69% say it's because they raise funds for charitable causes at
a time many of these causes are in high demand.
► 59% say charity shops are vital because they prevent items
from being thrown away.
► 43% respondents say they provide jobs and volunteering
opportunities in community at a time the UK is facing recession.
Last year alone, thanks to the generosity donations to our shops
the BHF helped re-use an incredible 71,000 tonnes of items and
prevented 135,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from being
released into the atmosphere. The BHF say the Covid-19 crisis
has highlighted the benefits charity shops bring to the economy
and consumers, from saving people money, to preventing items
going to waste and funding causes that have given vital support
to people during this time. The charity hopes its shops will be
a first stop for those wanting to declutter and donate as people
are more conscious of these benefits than ever.
Allison Swaine Hughes, Retail Director at the British Heart
Foundation, said:- "This pandemic has been devastating for
so many of us and the reopening of charity shops is going to be
vital for millions as we look to recover. Charity shops provide
high quality items at affordable prices, power charitable
services that have never been more in demand, re-use thousands
of tonnes of items and provide a community space for so many
volunteers and customers. Every pound raised in our shops helps
us to support the 930,000 people in the North West living with
heart and circulatory diseases, many of whom are at increased
risk from Covid-19. Shopping at the BHF will help us, help
them."
At the end of March, the BHF
temporarily closed its 750 nationwide shops in order to protect
staff, volunteers and customers. The charity has since revealed
that its funding budget to support research into heart and
circulatory diseases may be reduced by ₤50 million this year and
needs the public support more than ever to maintain progress.
Just ₤16 worth of your donations can support an early career
scientist in carrying out an hour's research and ₤25 gives a
researcher an hour's access to equipment. If your donations
raised ₤100, this would fund a DNA extraction kit to identify
genes linked to heart and circulatory diseases. To find your
local BHF shop visit:
BHF.Org.UK.
Warning issued to those
heading the the beaches over Covid-19 Pandemic
PEOPLE need to take all
necessary health precautions as Britain looks set to bask in a
heat wave and keep an eye on vulnerable or elderly family and
friends; while maintaining social distancing; who are most at
risk if they catch Coronavirus. With good weather forecast, it
is also likely that many members of the public will travel to
beaches in England. The "rush to the sun"
following easing of lockdown restrictions in recent weeks has
become a serious challenge for Councils responsible for beach
safety. The Local Government Association is calling for
Government to set out clear guidance for the public about
visiting beaches and for fast track Government funding to help
fund beach patrols, additional toilets and prominent signage, to
improve safety at beach beauty spots. People should think
carefully before travelling to beaches and to get in the habit
of checking they are open and safe to visit. The LGA said
Councils have adapted their heat wave plans in keeping with
COVID-19 advice. As temperatures soar over the next few
days, the LGA said social workers, community wardens and
maintenance staff will be on high alert, identifying and looking
out for those who might be struggling, while making sure social
distancing measures are maintained. They are also urging people
to call their local Council if they believe anyone needing help
is being missed out. Older people and those suffering from heart
and respiratory problems are most at risk. Cllr Richard
Kemp, Vice Chair of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board, said:-
"No 1 is immune to the power of the sun. Hot weather advice
might seem common sense, but effective action, taken early, can
reduce the health impacts of exposure to excessive heat. Looking
around at how our older neighbours are coping takes no effort,
but could be crucial in making sure they are also able to make
the best of the summer. People will understandably want to enjoy
the sunshine. However, when large numbers of people head to the
coast and tourist spots there is inevitably a risk of
overcrowding and an increase in the rate at which COVID-19 could
be transmitted. Lives depend on all of us taking personal
responsibility for our actions to avoid a resurgence of this
deadly virus that puts further lives at risk."
Hot weather
tips:-
► Look out for others, especially older people, young children
and babies and those with underlying health conditions.
► Close curtains on rooms that
face the sun to keep indoor spaces cooler and remember it may be
cooler outdoors than indoors.
► Drink plenty of water and
take water with you, if you are travelling.
► Never leave anyone in a
closed, parked vehicle, especially infants, young children or
animals.
► Try to keep out of the sun
between 11am and 3pm.
► Walk in the shade, apply
sunscreen and wear a hat, if you have to go out in the heat.
► Avoid physical exertion in
the hottest parts of the day.
► Wear light, loose fitting
cotton clothes.
Did you
know? Following the 2003 heat wave in which more than
2,000 people in England died due to the extreme temperatures,
the country has developed an annual heat wave plan with local
authorities, health professionals and the emergency services
working together to help keep people safe!
LGA Responds to the UK Government's 'Planning for the Future'
proposal
RESPONDING
to the Government's ‘Planning for the Future'
proposals to overhaul the planning system, Cllr James Jamieson,
Chairman of the Local Government Association, said:-
"Councils are committed to ensuring new homes are built and
communities have quality places to live. It is vital that these
are delivered through a locally led planning system which gives
communities the power to ensure new developments are of a high
standard, built in the right places, and include affordable
homes. We also need to ensure that new homes are supported by
new funding for community infrastructure such as schools,
playgrounds and roads. 9 in 10 applications are approved by
Councils with more than a million homes given planning
permission over the last decade yet to be built. The system
needs to ensure planning permissions are built. Any loss of
local control over developments would be a concern. It would
deprive communities of the ability to define the area they live
in and know best and risk giving developers the freedom to ride
roughshod over local areas. We will need to look properly at
these proposals in detail, but Councils share the aspiration of
improving the current planning system to provide greater
certainty for communities, encourage brownfield development , to
deliver better infrastructure and increase local involvement.
It is vital that Government fully engages with and takes
advantage of the expertise in local Government to ensure that
their aspirations of an improved system works in practice. We
look forward to responding to this consultation in detail and
working with Government to ensure any reforms improve the system
and protect the rights of communities to shape the areas they
live in. If we are to truly fix our chronic housing shortage,
Councils need the tools, powers and flexibilities to plan for
and deliver the quality homes and places communities need."
Sefton Council issues COVID-19 Action Cards to guide business owners and managers
SEFTON
Council is reminding the Borough's businesses that Action Cards
containing information about how to report and manage a
potential COVID-19 outbreak are now available online. The Action
Cards guide business owners and managers through the three steps
of how to Identify, Report and Respond and are specific to each
type of business or location. They have been designed to be
printed or downloaded for businesses and organisations to keep
on-hand and can be found at. Advice about identifying a COVID-19
outbreak, reporting it and working with the local Health
Protection Team to manage the response is included in the Action
Cards, which can be found on:-
Sefton.Gov.UK.
Developed by the NHS Test and Trace service, the online guides
provide specific advice for a wide range of business and venue
types. These includes:- entertainment venues, tourist attractions
and churches, shops hairdressers, pubs and restaurants and
residential locations, such as Hotels and Hostels.
Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council's Cabinet Member for
Regeneration and Skills said:- "I have been pleased to see
businesses across the Borough being able to re-open and start to
get back on their feet but I know it is not easy for them to
know just how to implement the complicated but vital guidelines
designed to keep employees and customers safe or what to do if
they suspect an outbreak. These Action Cards which are available
on the Council's website are tailored to meet the circumstances
of a wide range of businesses and organisations and provide
step-by-step instructions that explain where to get help and
support to contain an outbreak should one occur."
The Action cards also contain general guidelines about prevent
the spread of COVID-19, what information a local Health
Protection Team may require. They also suggest the types of
measures that may have to be put in place, such as enhanced
hygiene, hand washing and cleaning regimes, the use of personal
protective equipment (PPE), rapid testing and tracing and the
reduced use of shared spaces.
Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council's Cabinet Member for Health and
Wellbeing said:- "Although
businesses and other locations are opening up again, Coronavirus
is still very much with us and it is important that they report
any signs of an outbreak as soon as possible and work with local
health teams to prevent it spreading and endangering vulnerable
members of the community. These Action Cards are a useful tool
to help them do that."
Time to revive the rural economy
ON 6 August 2020, the
UK Government published its White
Paper:- 'Planning for
the Future.' and the CLA Director of External Affairs
Jonathan Roberts has responded with the following this
announcement:- "Everyone knows the
planning system has been in need of overhaul for many years. And
whilst there are some positive developments, at present the
Planning White Paper represents a missed opportunity for the
countryside. Of course, we should protect vital environmental
assets, but the countryside is not a museum and by not including
it in its ‘growth’ category, Government is ignoring the huge
economic potential of the rural economy. We know many
individuals and businesses are wanting to escape to the
countryside. At the same time, we have many farmers desperate to
convert disused buildings into modern office space, but they are
being restricted from doing so by a planning system that appears
designed to hold the economy back. With high levels of rural
poverty, and village schools, pubs and shops closing, now is the
time to revive the rural economy by facilitating job creation
and growth. The Planning White Paper proposes little that would
achieve that."
Total UK cases COVID-19 cases
THE total UK daily
number of lab-confirmed positive test results:-
950. The total
overall UK lab-confirmed positive test results:-
308,134. Daily
number of COVID-19 associated UK fatalities added to the total,
was sadly reported to be:-
49, with the total number of deaths of
people who have had a positive test result now standing at:-
46,413. The number of COVID-19 patients currently in UK
Hospitals:-
1,118. The current number of COVID-19 patients
currently in mechanical ventilation beds in UK Hospitals:-
73.
Daily number of COVID-19 patients admitted to UK Hospitals:-
142. Due to new UK Government
system of reporting we are having to sort out a new system to
bring you the local area results, for the Liverpool City Region
and surrounding areas.