Statement from the Leader and important information for your household

Brentwood Borough Council sent this bulletin at 13-11-2020 01:35 PM GMT

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COVID-19

Important information for you and your household

Thank you for subscribing to receive email updates from Brentwood Borough Council.

Below is some important information as well as links to get advice and support.

Statement from Brentwood Borough Council Leader, Cllr Chris Hossack

"Given that Brentwood currently has the highest COVID infection rate in Essex, there is now a risk that should we come out of the national lockdown on 2 December, that local lockdown measures may remain in place for Brentwood.

As Council Leader I will resist any such steps for local lockdown due to the pro-longed negative impact on our local economy, especially when December should be a boom month for our retailers and of course the impact on the wellbeing of all residents.

However, resisting local lockdown measures will be made more difficult if the numbers in Brentwood remain stubbornly high.

The national lockdown has been brought about to reduce the rate of infection ahead of Christmas and I know we all want a degree of liberty to enjoy Christmas with our families, especially after the year we have had; but I am genuinely concerned that the actions of the minority are going to spoil this for the majority.

The Council and the Police have this week issued fines to businesses that have broken the rules and we will continue to do so until people get the message that these rules are there to reduce the rate so we can come out of lockdown on the 2^nd, for Christmas at least.

Non-essential businesses should not be trading, grants will be available from next week, which businesses can apply for to compensate in some way for their loss. I would also appeal to the minority of people who are continuing to avail themselves of non-essential services. To be clear; you do not need your SUV washed, you do not need to work on your abs at the gym and you do not need to stop and meet up for an obligatory skinny macchiato mid bike ride on a Sunday.

There are serious consequences at play here if we don’t get the rate down, so please can we just deny ourselves a few short term spurious pleasures until 2 December, then perhaps we can all take some well earned time with family and friends during Christmas."

Thank you.

Cllr Chris Hossack
Leader, Brentwood Borough Council

Click here to view video message from the Leader

What we are doing to combat the rising levels of COVID-19 infections

Licensing and Enforcement Officers have visited many business and retail premises to explain the new Lockdown restrictions and the compliance requirements. Action has been taken where, despite such visits, the rules have continued to be breached.

In the case of one local car wash a Fixed Penalty Notice for £1,000 was issued after it continued to trade despite being told to close under the Lockdown restrictions. A separate car wash has also now been fined £2,000 for continuously trading in breach of the rules.

Enforcement Officers together with partners including Essex Police are out on patrol throughout the borough and if anyone believes a premises or business is operating unlawfully please contact licensing@brentwood.gov.uk.

Advice and information available on our website

You can find advice, local information and changes to Council services on our website.

COVID-19 Business Grants

Economic Development officers will be launching the Local Restrictions Support Grant Fund application form next week so the much-needed funds get out to those businesses who have been forced to close during the current national lockdown. The grants will range from £1.3k to £3k. There will also be backdated Tier 2 funding for those businesses in the hospitality, leisure and accommodation sectors who were impacted by Essex moving into High alert in October.

If businesses would like an alert when the applications are open, they should email business@brentwood.gov.uk to be added to our mailing list.

There is further funding available to distribute on a discretionary basis. We want to make sure that this funding goes to those businesses who have been impacted by this second lockdown but are not eligible for the government’s Tier 2 or Tier 3 grant schemes. Please continue to check the Business Support web page for details of when you can apply.

Check the Business Support web page

Essex County Council

Essex County Council has invested in an advertising campaign aimed at residents in Epping and Brentwood on social media and in local newspapers to further encourage people to do whatever they can to stay safe and follow the Lockdown rules to get the infection rates down as quickly as possible. Our social media channels Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter are the first port of call for the latest information on combatting COVID-19 and all other news.

View Essex County Council's latest report for daily COVID-19 figures

Childcare Choices

The government is providing additional support with childcare for working parents through:

30 hours free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds in England.
Tax-Free Childcare for children up to age 11 years old and disabled children up to the age of 17 across the UK.

If you are a working parent who accesses a Government COVID-19 related support scheme (e.g. Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme or Self-Employment Income Support Scheme) you will still be eligible for childcare support even if you or your partner’s income falls below the normal minimum threshold. This support will align with the duration of the other schemes (currently 31 March 2021).

Find out more

Phoenix FM

Every Friday at 11.30 one of the Council’s Senior Leadership Team, the Chief Executive or the Leader takes to the airwaves on Phoenix FM to give updates on all the council’s work. This ranges from the latest on COVID-19, consultations, recycling collections, housing, enforcement, environment and community projects. A link to the recorded interview is then published on Facebook every Saturday.

Remembrance Day

Finally, a thank you to all residents who marked the two minute silence on their doorsteps for Remembrance Day. Wreaths were placed at the war memorial to mark the event and residents took part in the Royal British Legion’s Colour In A Poppy initiative. A full review of the day can be found on our Facebook page.

View the review of the day on Facebook

Lockdown Restrictions

Below is a reminder of the measures that have been put in place.

People are strongly encouraged to work from home if their job allows it – this is crucial to reducing the spread of the coronavirus in our area.

You must not meet socially indoors with family or friends unless they are part of your household – meaning the people you live with or support bubble.
You can exercise or visit outdoor public places with the people you live with, your support bubble or 1 person from another household (children under school age, as well as those dependent on round-the-clock care, who are with their parents will not count towards the limit on two people meeting outside). You cannot meet in a private garden.
Certain businesses and venues in the non-essential retail, leisure, entertainment and personal care industries will have to close
Funerals can be attended by a maximum of 30 people
Weddings, civil partnership ceremonies will not be permitted to take place except in exceptional circumstances

Pubs, bars and restaurants must close, but can provide take-aways as per the rules detailed below:

Alcohol - A premises may sell alcohol at any time (that they are licensed to) but the sale must be pre-ordered and only made via a delivery, click and collect or a drive-thru facility. The purchaser must not enter the premises or vacate their vehicle.

Food or Drink (no alcohol) - Between the hours of 05:00 and 22:00 a premises may sell food or drink for take-away, and the purchaser can enter the premises to collect the food or drink.

After 22:00 till 05:00 the next morning, premises may sell food and drink, but the sale must be pre-ordered and only made via a delivery, click and collect or a drive-thru facility. The purchaser must not enter the premises or vacate their vehicle.

Find out more on GOV.UK

Brentwood Open Facebook Group

Take a look at this Facebook page for a guide on which businesses are open in the local community.

Join the Brentwood Open Facebook Group

Getting tested for COVID-19  

Information on who can get tested and where to get tested for COVID-19 is available on Essex County Council's website.

Find out more

Do you need support?

We have produced a Community Support handbook full of helpful advice and support.

Organisations or groups who need advice or support can email the Council's Community Services Team at communitysupport@brentwood.gov.uk.

If you find yourself having to stay at home and need help with picking up shopping, a friendly phone call, posting mail or urgent supplies please contact a Community Help Hub in your area/village and they can help.

Further support can be found from the following groups:

Brentwood COVID-19 Mutual Aid - contact 01277 424953 or email admin@brentwood-mutual-aid.org or visit the Facebook page.

Brentwood Residents' Action Group (BRAG) - contact 07553 788009 or 07961 972917.

Are you concerned about someone's safety?

If you are concerned that a child or young person is being harmed, neglected or at risk of this you should contact Essex Social Care on 0345 603 7627.

Out of hours (5.30pm - 9am) Monday - Thursday, 4.30pm Friday - 9am Monday, and Bank Holidays 0345 606 1212 or 0300 1230 770.

Email: emergencydutyteam.outofhours@essex.gov.uk

If you have concerns that a vulnerable adult may be being harmed, neglected or at risk of abuse you should contact Essex Social Care Direct on 0345 603 7630 (Out of hours 0345 606 1212).

If there is an immediate risk of harm to anyone then contact the Police on 999.