The situation we currently find ourselves in is something that we could never have imagined. Many of the things we take for granted are now not available to us and it is hard in so many ways. With the government extending the current social distancing lockdown for at least another three weeks, it is particularly important that looking after our mental health and wellbeing isn’t overlooked.
COVID-19 has affected how we all live our lives and it will therefore inevitably cause some to feel lonely, anxious, stressed or a whole range of other emotions. It’s perfectly understandable to feel like this and Public Health England has launched a new ‘Every Mind Matters’ platform offering focused advice on looking after people’s mental health and wellbeing during the pandemic.
At Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) we are putting considerable efforts into keeping as many of our services running as possible. All our waste collection, grounds maintenance and street cleaning services are running as normal and in line with government and Public Health England advice. Our call centre is also operating a normal service, albeit with staff working remotely, and we have trained extra staff to help deal with enquiries more effectively.
I am aware that questions have been asked about why food markets are allowed to operate and why the household waste recycling centres are closed.
Firstly, HDC’s food markets continue as per government guidance because they are playing a vital role in the supply of food. As long as social distancing is practiced it makes complete sense to allow food traders, like supermarkets, to continue to supply local demand and need.
On the issue of recycling centres, these are operated by Cambridgeshire County Council, not the District Council and the decision is therefore not one for us. I am aware though that the County Council is keeping the issue under review and will reopen the centres when the government guidance permits them to safely do so.
HDC is one of just 5% of councils in the entire country that is still managing to maintain a full waste and operations service. We want to be able to continue collecting all three bins and offering our bulky waste disposal service - but fly-tipping and overloading household bins with inappropriate items will affect our ability to do that. I know that with more time at home many people are taking the opportunity to have a clear-out, but please help our binmen by either holding on to your unwanted items until the recycling centres reopen or arrange to dispose of them with a licensed operator.
Over the last few weeks we have put in place unprecedented measures to support the residents of Huntingdonshire, delivering hundreds of emergency food parcels and prescriptions. We have also implemented a two-month Council Tax deferral scheme that has helped nearly 2,500 households, suspended our car parking charges and market pitch fees. We are also in the process of delivering more than £30 million of government grants to local businesses.
Most of the businesses that are eligible to receive a grant are those that qualify for Small Business Rates Relief and pay no business rates due to the size of their premises. HDC did not therefore hold the necessary bank account details for 81% of all the businesses that we need to pay and have had to source this information.
However, we were one of the first councils to launch the application process and to contact businesses and we’ve been processing and paying grants on an almost daily basis since 3 April. More than 1,200 grants have now been paid to local businesses but approximately 800 of the 1,900 applications we received were incorrect or incomplete and have required further verification work, delaying the payment of grants to those businesses.
There are also several hundred businesses that have still not even applied. These grants are worth £10,000 or £25,000 and are non-repayable grants (not loans) to help businesses through this crisis. To make sure that we can get this support out as quickly as possible I would urge all eligible businesses to apply via the Coronavirus: Business Grant Funding page.
Cllr Ryan Fuller
Executive Leader
Huntingdonshire District Council