Wyredin - Monday 1 June 2020

View this email in your browser

wyred in - news from wyre forest district council

June 2020

Welcome to the latest edition of our online newsletter for residents.

Coronavirus services affected
Bin crew applause

Coronavirus and district council services

 

We're still working hard to bring you services but have had to make some changes to keep everyone safe.

With some restrictions likely to ease over the coming weeks and months, it is even more important to keep up to date.

That's why we have created a dedicated space on our website where you can find up-to-date information about the impact on our services.

Services affected

While social distancing is in place all public council meetings are taking place remotely and are broadcast live and available on catchup.

Watch council meetings

Parking Sign

Update on council car parks

Our two month freeze on parking charges has now ended and you will need to pay to use council car parks from today, Monday 1 June.

All on duty NHS and social care staff can continue to park for free if they display a pass that their employer provides.

Wyre Forest District Council suspended all parking charges on 27 March soon after the lockdown began, but charges will be introduced from today in line with the Government’s gradual lifting of restrictions on movement.

Please note you will not be able to use cash as all ticket machines are out of action in order stop the spread of Coronavirus so please pay by mobile phone or buy a season ticket online. 

Find out more

B&B sign

Help for more businesses

Do you run a small or medium business in Wyre Forest but have been unable to claim any funding support to help combat the effects of the pandemic?

Then our new discretionary business grant scheme may be able to help.

Qualifying businesses may include small businesses that have fixed property costs in shared offices or other flexible workspaces (which do not have their own business rates assessment), regular market traders that have building costs such as rent, and Bed & Breakfasts which pay council tax instead of business rates.

The grant scheme also includes charity properties that receive charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief.

We are now inviting applications via our website using an online form. The deadline for applications is Tuesday 30 June.

Apply online 

Your opinion counts

Have your say in three new surveys

We would like to hear your views on extending measures to keep the district a safe, clean and green living environment for a further three years.

A series of online surveys are giving local people an opportunity to comment on three Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs).

One survey asks you to comment on extending the district wide dog control order. This gives the council’s enforcement officers legal powers to tackle concerns and problems around dogs including dog fouling.

The survey includes questions on dog fouling, dogs on leads, the exclusion of dogs from some areas and a number of new proposed restrictions.

There are also two separate surveys looking at extending powers to tackle street drinking for another three years in Bewdley and Stourport town centres.

Kidderminster’s PSPO covering alcohol restrictions in the town centre was extended for a further three years in August 2018 and runs until 2021.

All three surveys close on Friday 12 June.

Have your say

local plan logo

Senior inspector appointed to examine Local Plan

The Government has appointed a senior planning inspector to hold a public examination of Wyre Forest District Council’s planning blueprint that will guide future development in the district over the next few years.

The Planning Inspectorate has appointed Inspector Mary Travers BA (Hons) DipTP MRTPI to conduct the examination into whether the council’s Draft Local Plan is ‘sound’.

It follows the formal submission of the Draft Plan to the Secretary of State on 30 April after full council gave its approval on 20 February.

More information 

Green World Small

Green light for carbon cutting advisory panel

A new cross-party advisory panel to lead on Wyre Forest District Council’s green agenda has been set up.

The panel will work closely with the council’s Cabinet on steps it can take to reduce the council’s carbon emissions. The panel will also offer support to local businesses, organisations and residents on ways they can reduce their carbon footprint.

A key part of the panel’s agenda is to explore a number of options the council could introduce, these include; planting trees on council land, implementing a solar farm, moving the council’s vehicle fleet and equipment away from fossil fuels to electric or other power sources.

Read the full story

Bewdley Museum

Bewdley Museum

The museum may currently be closed due to the pandemic, but staff have been busy updating residents and supporters through social media.

From photos of the blooming herb garden, to guess-the-object competitions from the museum's extensive collections, staff have been keeping in touch with regular updates.

The Museum Gift shop will re-open on Thursday 18 June from 10am. Social distancing will be in place and we encourage customers to follow the one way system throughout the shop. Where possible please use contactless payment and be patient with possible queues as a limited amount of customers are allowed in the shop at any one time.

Access through the museum remains closed at the present time. The Garden Kitchen is currently open for takeaway food only and is accessible via, High Street, Tannery Court or Lax Lane into the beautiful QE11 Jubilee Gardens. You can’t access the Garden Kitchen from the main museum entrance from Load Street.

Please keep checking the museum website and social media for updates on when the doors of the museum will once again be open to the public.

Museum website

Hanging basket

Plants for sale! 

We have a number of surplus bedding plants on sale to the general public. 

There are various collections of between 15 and 18 plants, costing £20 - and the price includes delivery to addresses within Wyre Forest.

So if you are spending time in the garden and are unable to get out, check our website, while stocks last.

Buy plants

National Volunteers' Week logo

Volunteers' Week

This week is Volunteers' Week and time to celebrate everyone who gives up time and energy to help others.

Volunteers' Week takes place 1 - 7 June every year to say thank you for the contribution millions of volunteers make across the UK.

There are many organisations here in Wyre Forest which rely on volunteers - as our hugely popular volunteer fairs have shown. Due to the pandemic we have had to put plans for this year's fairs on hold.

But in the meantime Worcestershire County Council is coordinating the county-wide Here2Help campaign to offer help during the pandemic. Find out more about how you can get involved.

Here2Help Worcestershire

Hands holding green recycling bin

Why recycling is so important

 

Some recycling operators are struggling to get hold of enough, high quality material to turn into new products. In particular glass, paper and cardboard reprocessors are issuing warnings there may be shortages of some types of packaging.

You can help support them by making sure you recycle as much as you can, you are recycling the right type of items and they are clean. This is especially important for things like tins or yoghurt pots, as if any liquid gets on to the paper and card you put in your recycling then it will contaminate it, meaning it will not be of good enough quality to be turned into something else.

Recently, we have had many examples of green bins containing unrecyclable materials. This causes real issues at the sorting facility and can lead to some loads being un-reusable.  Please make every effort to get your recycling right.

Check out our website for a list of what goes in each bin and lots of other information about reducing waste.

What goes in which bin?

Alternatively, download our handy recycling guide.

Download our handy guide

We recommend composting any garden waste at home but, if you’re unable to do that, we are still running a fortnightly garden waste collection service.

We currently have 140L and 240L garden waste bins available to order.

Our 140L bins are perfect for small gardens. The service costs £36 a year with a £20 fee on signup for new customers.

You can also order a larger 240L bin. The service costs £52 a year with a £20 signup fee for new customers.

Please allow 7 working days for your brown bin to be delivered.

Garden waste page

Handwashing