Here is a message from Cllr Rosemary Powell and Sue Lammin, Clerk to Whissendine Parish Council

We’ve all been restricting our activities for a while and it’s easy to feel out of touch.  This message has the latest information  on what’s going on around Rutland.

 

Local Government 

RCC used Zoom for the virtual Cabinet yesterday. The feedback was positive so they will be adopting Zoom as their meeting’s platform. 1st virtual Rutland County full Council meeting 20 May…using Zoom. Joining details for Councillors and members of the public who wish to observe will be with the agenda/papers.

Whissendine Parish Council is looking at Zoom for Parish Council meetings and is working towards their first virtual Parish Council meeting on 11 May.

 

Waste

The Civic Amenity Sites in Rutland will remain closed for the foreseeable future for 3 reasons: because social distancing is challenging at the sites; travelling to a CA sites is not an essential journey; the staff from CA sites now part of waste collection workforce. All 3 bins still being collected: black, grey and green, and that is RCC’s priority.

 

Fly tipping: since the new restrictions came in 9 instances of fly tips have been reported to RCC, from across County, all complaints were investigated and one instance has been reported for prosecution. To report waste dumped /fly tipped use RCC’s fix-my- Street on their website.

 

RCC Grounds maintenance contract

Teams have started working this week, and are in Whissendine this morning ( Wednesday).

 

Play areas and open spaces 

Those run by RCC remain closed and display a notice saying so.

 

Footpaths and bridleways:

All public rights of way remain open. There are signs that can be downloaded from NFU website for those landowners who have paths that lead close to their homes/ farmyards. The signs remind oath users about social distancing.

 

Rutland Water– Anglian Water under pressure to reopen but on balance have agreed with RCC the gates and car parks shall remain shut. The local parishes were consulted and agreed. Residents from local parishes using public footpaths can still use those footpaths even when they skirt/ enter the Rutland Water area no AW gates should be crossed. The idea about keeping gates/car parks closed is that any announcement that Rutland Water is reopened could draw large numbers of people in from outside Rutland.

 

Cemeteries, graveyards and Churchyards

The anti- virus legislation required these be shut but since making the law the Government has had a re-think and the guidance is that they can be open for burials and grave-visiting but social distancing should be observed.

 

Operation Shield

Working well. RCC has written to all 800+ people in the County who are considered medically vulnerable to Coronavirus. RCC can’t share the contact details/ names of all these people to volunteer groups/ Parish Councils because it contravenes data protection law. However, RCC has phoned most of the 800+ and it’s not believed anyone is isolated and in need without ability to seek help.

 

Dental health.

Dentists not doing routine work. In case of emergency: ring your own dentist ( or an NHS dentist). The emergency dental hub locations are not being made public. Referrals made last week showed people who rang were seen an treated sane-day; so system working.

The system is that: on contact your dentist will triage and may refer you for treatment. She/he refers using an online form. Further triage is done on receipt of the referral. The hub then contacts the patient to make arrangements for treatment.

 

Care homes

All Rutland Care homes currently Covid19 free. Those with similar symptoms who have been tested have come back negative.

 

PPE

The local MP has offered to help frontline staff manage any issues in obtaining protective equipment. RCC’s preference would be that before bothering the MP that RCC be contacted. RCC have broad range of procurement contacts and a process that allows them to access Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland stocks/ procurement process.

 

Foodbank

A Community Collection Scheme is being trialled by RCC using collection boxes that they collect. There will be more details on Monday’s briefing, however, in brief the parish identify a suitable point for collection of food donations ( drop off point) and RCC arrange a weekly collection.