Statement from Lucille Thompson, Leader of Winchester City Council

Yesterday, the Government announced a roadmap for easing lockdown restrictions in England which outlines the country’s route towards a return to normal life over the coming months.

For now, England is still in a national lockdown, so as we progress through the steps and the rounds of tests that will herald each progression to the next phase towards a more liberated daily life, we will need to keep up our efforts.

In the meantime, at the city council we will continue to do everything we can to support our district during this time, maintaining both our day-to-day services and our COVID-19 support. And to all the public servants - whether you work on the frontline for the NHS or Emergency Services; work for support organisations; are a community volunteer; or have recently trained to help with the vaccine roll out or are contributing in other ways during this crisis, thank you for all that you are doing to help keep our district running.

To our residents and businesses – thank you for your continued patience – and do contact your council if you need help, we remain here for you. We will all, for now, continue to stay at home where possible, following the current guidance until the first set of new guidelines come into effect – at the earliest, on 8 March.

Today we are flying the Guildhall flag at half mast to honour the life of Captain Sir Tom Moore.

Having already led an extraordinary life, his heroism was celebrated by so many who were moved by his his selfless response to the pandemic. Captain Sir Tom Moore embodies the spirit of giving that has kept so many communities going during this time - our community is paying respect to that. 

Today we will remember this generous gentleman whose determined actions inspired us all in the darkest of days and ultimately went on to help the lives of so many through his incredible £33m contribution to charity.

COVID-19 has sadly claimed another life, but this man will be remembered as a beacon of hope.  The Winchester district salutes him.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister announced new national restrictions for England which means it is crucial that we all stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives. This action has been taken in response to the new variant of COVID-19 and the rising cases in infections.

Together we have all been working so hard, despite the holiday season, to keep the virus under control. Whilst the restrictions we face can be tougher in the winter months, I’d like to thank everybody in our district for your cooperation as your council works with the government and public health services to ensure that vital work in our communities continues.

I know that these national restrictions were not how many of us hoped to start the new year, but it is important that we all play our part in the coming weeks to prevent further transmission of the virus. We now understand that 1 in 3 of us won’t experience any symptoms so we must be cautious even when we feel fit and well as we risk passing COVID-19 on to more vulnerable people.

The NHS is facing mounting pressures and the national restrictions are the next step in the fight against coronavirus to alleviate this pressure, and to keep people safe. That’s why we must now all take these extra precautions and only leave the house for an essential reason. These are very limited, so please check the government guidelines before you leave your home.

We may be back to facing tougher restrictions, but your council is committed to continuing to provide essential services to residents, including:

• Maintaining critical frontline services such as waste collections
• Supporting individuals or groups who are identified as most at risk from COVID-19
• Supporting businesses who have been forced to close and working with those who can still offer a takeaway-only service within the restrictions
• Enabling and supporting the valuable work of community groups and individuals who are taking practical action to help their neighbours

I’d like to remind residents that support is available for those who need assistance with essential food or household supplies, collection of medicine, or who are at risk of loneliness. Please see our website for more information or contact the COVID-19 helpline on 0333 370 4000. You can also access health advice from the NHS, and further guidance and advice from Hampshire County Council. 

Stay at home to keep yourself and others safe.
 

From 00:01 on Boxing Day, we will be moving from Tier 2 (High alert) into Tier 4 (Stay at Home). We will be joining some of our neighbouring areas in this higher alert level in response to the concern around a new variant of COVID-19. 

This means that we must stay at home and only meet one other person outside our household (other than a support bubble). It is important that we do all we can to prevent the spread of the virus and it is vital we continue to follow restrictions in order to help keep one another safe.

During this time, your council will continue to maintain frontline services and I’d like to express a heartfelt thank you to all of our key workers who help keep our district running in a COVID-19 Secure way.

This may not be how we had hoped to start the New Year so I thank everyone in our district for your commitment to protecting each other, even when this has involved sacrificing time with loved ones. 

We will all continue to work together and support one another as we look forward to a brighter year ahead.

"Looking back on 2020, it’s clear that this year will be one we will never forget. We couldn’t have imagined at the start of the year that a global pandemic would change life as we know it. Every aspect of our lives has been affected in some way and we’ve faced greater challenges than we have seen in a generation.

While we cannot overlook the devastating effect on so many, I have been moved by the reaction of communities across our district. From doorstep claps in support of key workers and the NHS, to neighbours helping one another to ensure the most vulnerable in our communities still get the food and provisions they need while staying safe at home.

To the same endeavour, your council has worked in partnership with organisations to support the vulnerable in our district. This has included Trinity Winchester, A2Dominion, Two Saints and Winchester Churches Nightshelter to help ensure those facing homelessness are safe by making use of a vacant hostel. We have also continued to deliver vital services such as our waste collections throughout the changing national and local restrictions and I thank all of our key workers for keeping our district running.

In a time of adversity, we have all pulled together.

As we prepare to mark the festive season with gatherings in our bubbles, we are reminded of the loved ones we have missed and sacrificed time with in order to keep them safe throughout the year. It is vital that we remain mindful of this over the festive period and the importance of following the restrictions of our local tier to protect ourselves and our loved ones.

I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a safe and happy Christmas. We can all look towards 2021 with optimism and hope that the year ahead will have more moments of normality but with the knowledge that our loved ones, neighbours, and your council will always be there to rally round in times of hardship.

From our family to yours – Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"

- Cllr Lucille Thompson

A message from Cllr Lucille Thompson, Leader of Winchester City Council:

From Wednesday 2 December we will move from a national lockdown to Tier 2 – High Alert, along with all other local authorities in Hampshire. The Isle of Wight is Tier 1 – Medium Alert.

Together we have all been working so hard to keep the virus at bay and we will continue to follow Government guidelines to ensure that when the tiers are reviewed again, we are able to move into a lower tier as soon as possible.

We are focussing on supporting our businesses who have done so much to encourage local residents and visitors back to our high streets in a safe and welcoming way and who will be disappointed that restrictions continue.

We will continue to work with Government and local partners and agencies over the coming weeks, the accent is on keeping each other as safe as possible until a vaccine allows for the further alleviation of local restrictions.

As a council we will of course also be continuing to maintain our frontline services, supporting vulnerable residents. Our shared goal is to safeguard the health and wellbeing of everyone in our community – taking extra care of the people who need it most. Our key priorities are as follows:

• Maintaining critical frontline services, especially those that may face extra demand or additional operational challenges in the coming weeks
• Supporting individuals or groups who are identified as most at risk from COVID-19
• Supporting the businesses who are forced to remain closed and working with those who are able to remain open to ensure they are operating within the new Tier 2 restrictions
• Enabling and supporting the valuable work of community groups and individuals who are taking practical action to help their neighbours

You can access NHS advice here.

Find a wide range of guidance and advice here

"As I’m sure you are aware, the Prime Minister has announced a four week period of restrictions between Thursday 5 November and Wednesday 2 December.

I’d like to thank everybody in our district for your patience, understanding and cooperation as your council works with national government and public health services to continue its work in our communities. Throughout the first lockdown we were pleased to keep our services running and will do so again.

You may see some changes to the way some services operate as we follow public health advice. We are also directing essential resources to the critical customer responses that ensure the more vulnerable amongst us are properly supported.

Our shared goal is to safeguard the health and wellbeing of everyone in our community – taking extra care of the people who need it most."

Our key priorities are as follows:

• Maintaining critical frontline services, especially those that may face extra demand or additional operational challenges in the coming weeks
• Supporting individuals or groups who are identified as most at risk from COVID-19
• Supporting the businesses who have been forced to close and working with those who are able to remain open to ensure they are operating within COVID-19 Secure guidance
• Enabling and supporting the valuable work of community groups and individuals who are taking practical action to help their neighbours

Winchester City Council will continue to work closely with Government, Hampshire County Council, Public Health England, local NHS partners and other agencies and bodies as the situation continues.

To access the NHS advice click here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

For a wide range of guidance and advice click here: https://www.hants.gov.uk/socialcareandhealth/coronavirus

"In Winchester City Council’s Local Response Centre we’ve been listening to local people who have been impacted by the virus. People who have lost loved ones, families facing an uncertain future due to employment problems, and those who have really felt the burden of isolation as the weeks continued… it really has not been an easy time for so many of our residents and businesses.

I’ve been reassured by something that we felt was here already – community spirit. Our district benefits from diverse communities, and what we’ve seen in the parishes and city alike shows me that by pulling together we can recover from this and come back stronger than ever. That’s why this year we’re introducing The Mayor of Winchester’s Local Hero Award. If you know someone in your community who deserves recognition for looking after others during lockdown, we want to hear about it!

Some of the practical impacts of the last months have also been positive – our centres and roads were freed from heavy traffic with a demonstrable improvement in air quality as a result. We’re building on this by making changes in line with the Movement Strategy that will see fewer cars in our centres and make walking and cycling in the busy town centres more pleasant. To get to where we are today, all of us have made huge sacrifices to the way we live, and as we look to continue to contain the virus we’re all also still relying on each other.

Thank you all for everything you have done so far."

BACK TO BUSINESS

A message from Cllr Lucille Thompson, Leader of Winchester City Council:

"This weekend will see our district’s centres liven up as more businesses reopen. We’re all keen to support our local economy after such an extended period of closure, and at the city council we’ve been at the forefront of making sure all the measures that can support you when you are out and about are in place.

"But, we still have to take care of ourselves and others, so let’s all respect social distancing to allow all of us to experience our wonderful towns, villages and city centres with confidence. I hope many of you are able to enjoy our places, support our businesses and feel confident in returning.

"It will take a little patience from us all, but knowing our district, it will be well worth it…"

Helping you to support our local economy
Cafés, bars, restaurants and pubs are just some of the businesses that are opening their doors again from tomorrow. You’ll see that we’ve been making some changes to help our local economy to get back on its feet.

1. Tables and chairs are being delivered to high streets across the district to give more of us space to enjoy a meal, drink or a chat outside.
2. In Winchester we’re temporarily closing Great Minster Street to vehicles from tomorrow at weekends to enable socially distanced trading.
3. If you haven’t been out and about yet, you’ll see signs supporting social distancing  - and look down for prompts on the ground to help pedestrian flow and queue spacing too.
4. The friendly faces of the city council’s Neighbourhood Wardens and Winchester BID Rangers will be on hand to support local people.

Bit nervous? Read through these tips before going out
If you’ve got some concerns about venturing out as our district opens up, here are some tips that might help:

1. If an area looks busy, take a turn around one of the local parks or green spaces that are in reach of all our centres and come back a little later.
2. You may wish to bring your own hand sanitiser for peace of mind.
3. Some parking meters require button pushing – using a pencil or wearing gloves might help you if you are worried - sanitise afterwards if you have any concerns.
4. If you’re using the outer ring car parks (thank you, we’re encouraging this as part of our carbon reduction plan) do remember a face covering for travelling on the Park & Ride buses.
5. The public toilets are open and there is social distancing guidance to support users.

"We know this is a challenging time for everyone across the Winchester district.
 
The Government has asked us to stay home, except for essential trips, for another three weeks. This lockdown already had a significant impact on how we live and interact and I want to repeat our commitment to be here to support you as the situation continues.
 
The city council is providing advice, supporting households and businesses, and making sure the essential services keep going. We’re offering all our residents the practical assistance they need over this period - and we expect to continue this beyond the period of greatest social distancing as people find their feet. Our focus is helping those who need it most, and this includes being there for those experiencing unprecedented financial difficulties.
 
We are all playing an important part in tackling this challenge. I pay special tribute to all of you who are going the extra mile to support those who are most in need. The community spirit that I see everywhere is what will ensure we can emerge from these unsettling times into brighter days."

“I wanted to take the opportunity to share the work the council is doing to support all of those who live and work in our district.

“People must stay at home other than for essential travel in line with the Government’s public health guidance, but we know this is having a significant impact on how we all live and interact. The city council is here providing advice, alongside new and existing services, to offer residents the practical assistance they need over this period and beyond. Our focus is especially on helping those who need it most, and people and businesses experiencing financial difficulties.

“In the last week we have set up a Local Response Centre to support the most vulnerable people in our district working with the county council to provide a support to those in self-isolation or suffering with a critical illness. People who are in need of advice or support can call hantshelp4vulnerable on 0333 370 4000. This is available from 9am to 5pm and the phone lines are operational seven days a week. 

“Our fabulous voluntary sector is also here to help and if you or a neighbour just need a hand, you can find details of local organisations who can assist on our website.

“Over this time, we all pay tribute to the selfless dedication of our extraordinary NHS workers. There are other key workers too, who are continuing to serve in order to keep vital services going. I have been touched by the notes residents have sent in to say thank you to those who are delivering frontline services for the city council, including our bin collection teams and those who continue to assist the most vulnerable amongst us.

“I’d also like to pay tribute to all the individuals and groups coming together across our district to support neighbours and those who most need a helping hand through this constantly changing period. This extraordinary caring, community spirit is something we can all be proud of and this is what will see us through together to brighter days.

“The council has dedicated website pages for all current COVID-19 information: www.winchester.gov.uk/covid19 but let me give you some examples of what we are doing.”

• Household waste and recycling collections are running to schedule with around 95,000 collections every week – that’s around 19,000 daily - since the outbreak first led to household isolation. We’ve asked you to help crews by putting your bin early – all the latest information on waste collection service is here: https://www.winchester.gov.uk/covid19/service-changes#waste
•  Council Tax support and benefits – our teams are providing support and advice on payment plans to help people concerned about paying their Council Tax. Advice is available on what benefits people may be entitled to.
• Providing accommodation for homeless people – local and known rough sleepers have been offered  accommodation and specialised support teams are monitoring the situation daily to ensure any new rough sleepers arriving in Winchester are also safely supported off the streets.
• Business rates relief and grants – 2,700 businesses have been contacted to ensure they are aware of business rate relief and business grant availability. To date (Tues 7 April), the council has received 1100 grant applications, and already distributed £6.07m to 380 business applicants.
• Business e-newsletters distributed to businesses setting out the full range of support available for businesses at this time.
• We have been working with local business support service IncuHive to provide free online mentoring and e-learning for small businesses and home workers dealing with the impact of COVID-19. Visit www.incuhive.co.uk for more information.
• Our Park & Ride service continues but with a reduced timetable to help essential travel for key workers to continue.
• Although we have had to close play parks and pitches in line with national guidance, our parks and open spaces are being maintained to enable residents to benefit from their one hour of exercise. It is essential that the two metre social distancing guidance is followed.
• The council is open for business by phone, email or through online digital services – there is a phone in place at Colebrook Street reception entrance
• We are still carrying essential repairs to our council houses but all routine maintenance has been rescheduled
• We have contacted all our residents in sheltered accommodation to keep them safe and cared for
• Parking – we have provided spaces without charge in Park & Ride car parks and Winchester’s Tower Street car park for NHS workers, police and other key workers so they can access their work as easily as possible.

“Thank you to everybody in our district for your patience and understanding in these difficult times. Winchester City Council is working with all our partners in national government, local health and public sector services, as well as local charitable, faith and voluntary groups, to prepare and respond to the challenges we face. 

These are challenging and difficult times but Winchester is a great place to live, work and raise a family and we are a caring community. I know with us all working together this will remain the case.

Our national medical experts have set out a series of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus). This guidance continues to change in what is clearly a fast moving situation. We are working with partner agencies to assess in detail what this means for people and businesses across the district. Our shared goal is to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our communities, and to support the national plan to tackle the pandemic – taking extra care of the most vulnerable people amongst us.  

Our key priorities are as follows:

• We are ramping up our plans to maintain critical frontline services, especially those that may in the coming months face extra demand or additional operational challenges.
• Individuals or groups who are identified as most at risk from COVID-19 will remain a key focus in all we do.
• It is clear that these unprecedented measures being taken to protect our health, are causing extreme uncertainty and pressures for many local businesses, charities and other organisations. We will strive to offer leadership, support and guidance.
• Many communities and individuals are already taking practical action to be ready to help their neighbours and those who may need extra support in the coming months. We will work to enable, coordinate and support this grassroots activity.

Over this extraordinary period, Winchester City Council wants to reassure you that we are committed to working on your behalf, and to represent the needs of everyone who lives and works in our district.”

The latest updates and key public information will be posted here and on social media.

Winchester City Council is working closely with Hampshire County Council, Public Health England, local NHS partners and other agencies and bodies to ensure we are all well prepared as the situation develops.

Our priority is to ensure critical local services to Winchester residents are maintained and that we are signposting people to the most up-to-date official sources of information and advice.

To access the NHS advice click here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

For a wide range of guidance and advice click here: https://www.hants.gov.uk/socialcareandhealth/coronavirus