National lockdown – changes to council services in Chesterfield
A second national lockdown has been announced by Government in response to rising numbers of Covid-19 cases.
This will take effect from Thursday 5 November and is due to end on Wednesday 2 December.
Chesterfield Borough Council is committed to doing all it can to keep essential services running for local people. But the safety of customers and staff must come first, and changes to some services will take effect from Thursday 5 November.
Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of the Council, said: “This is a very difficult time for everyone, but I want to reassure residents and business owners in Chesterfield borough that we will do all we can to support them over the coming weeks.
“Infection rates in Chesterfield continue to rise and we must take action. We urge everyone to follow the Government’s guidance to help slow the spread of the virus and protect the most vulnerable in our community.
“We have reviewed the impact of the Government’s latest guidance on our services – public safety must be our top priority, but we will do all we can to keep the council’s essential services running for local people.
“We are a resilient borough with a strong sense of community which has absolutely shone through during these last seven months, and we will continue to work together to get through these difficult times.”
The key changes are summarised below – for the latest information visit www.chesterfield.gov.uk or follow the council’s social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
People must adhere to the new lockdown restrictions at all times, including:
- Do 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 should minimise time spent outside your home and when around other people, ensure that you are two metres apart from anyone not in your household or support bubble
- Remember the Hands. Face. Space rule – follow social distancing, wear a face covering where required (unless exempt) and wash hands regularly
Customer services arrangements
People are asked to contact the council online or by phone wherever possible to avoid unnecessary travel and face-to-face contact:
- Via the council’s website – www.chesterfield.gov.uk
- Via the new My Chesterfield online hub – visit www.chesterfield.gov.uk/mychesterfield to set up an account and manage a range of council services online. Signing up to My Chesterfield will allow you to:
– Securely manage Council Tax bills and payments, and sign up for e-billing and direct debits
– View bin collection days
– Report an issue, such as noise nuisance
– See information about your local councillor
– Change your address details
– Report something that needs cleaning up on a street, road or park - By telephone – (01246) 345345
To reduce face-to-face contact, the Customer Service Centre at New Square will be closed from Thursday 5 November for the four-week lockdown period.
Leisure
Healthy Living Centre, Staveley
This will close from Thursday 5 November for the four-week lockdown period. For membership enquiries please email: hlcenquiries@chesterfield.gov.uk
Queen’s Park Sports Centre
This will close from Thursday 5 November for all sporting activity. For membership enquiries please email: qpscenquiries@chesterfield.gov.uk
The building will remain open for anyone with a midwifery appointment at the centre and Chesterfield College will continue to access the centre for education purposes.
For both centres, memberships and activity pre-payments will be frozen or carried over for the period of the temporary closure – customers are being contacted directly with more information.
Parks and playgrounds
Parks and playgrounds will remain open to allow people to enjoy outdoor exercise, in line with Government guidance.
You can exercise or visit outdoor public places with the people you live with, your support bubble, or one person from another household (children under school age, as well as those dependent on round-the-clock care, such as those with severe disabilities, who are with their parents will not count towards the limit on two people meeting outside).
Allotments
Chesterfield Borough Council’s allotment sites will remain open for use, in line with Government guidance.
Town Hall
The Town Hall reception will remain open but people are strongly encouraged to contact the council online (www.chesterfield.gov.uk) or by phone (01246) 345345, to reduce face-to-face contact and unnecessary travel.
Services within the Town Hall
Chesterfield Coroner’s Court
This will remain open, operating a service in line with Government guidance but please check the Derbyshire County Council website for the latest position
Register Office
This will remain open, operating a service in line with Government guidance but please check the Derbyshire County Council website for the latest position
Chesterfield Crematorium
Attendance at funeral services is still limited to a maximum of 30 people and to family and household members only. Those attending services are asked to wear a face covering when inside the crematorium chapel (unless exempt).
For families who would wish for absent family members and friends to be part of the funeral services, a free webcasting service can be arranged through your funeral director.
It is recognised that many people visit the Crematorium to view the book of remembrance and find comfort in doing so. The council would respectfully ask that you do not visit the Crematorium at this time. Those who wish to do so can still view the book online: www.chesterfield.bookofremembrance.uk/view-books
Venues
Pomegranate Theatre / The Winding Wheel Theatre
Chesterfield Borough Council venues will close to the public from Thursday 5 November for the four-week lockdown period.
Customers who have bought tickets for any show which falls within this time frame will be contacted by a member of the team. Details of rescheduled and cancelled shows can be found at www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk/event-updates
If you have an enquiry, please email box.office@chesterfield.gov.uk. There will be a limited telephone service on (01246) 345222
*Please note that the NHS Blood Donation sessions scheduled at The Winding Wheel Theatre will go ahead, in line with Covid-19 safe procedures.
Visitor Information Centre
The Visitor Information Centre will close to the public from Thursday 5 November for the four-week lockdown period. If you have an enquiry, please email tourism@chesterfield.gov.uk
Chesterfield Museum / Revolution House
The venues are closed and will remain closed to the public for the four-week lockdown period. A decision has not yet been made on when the venues will reopen to the public.
Chesterfield Museum has a phone service available during office hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays – call (01246) 345727.
Chesterfield Market Hall / Pavements Shopping Centre and outdoor Market
These will remain open for essential retail only, in line with Government guidance.
The Market Hall Café will be closed from Thursday 5 November, for the four-week lockdown period.
Public toilets in the Market Hall and Pavements Shopping Centre will remain open for use – operating to Covid-19 safety standards.
Find out more about changes to some of our local businesses on our Shopping During Lockdown page
Other local venues
The council will keep its community venues (Hasland Village Hall and the Market Hall Assembly Rooms) open for exclusive use by health and wellbeing support groups who currently use them, to provide a service for residents in line with Government guidance.
Council car parks
For now, council car parks in Chesterfield will remain open and usual parking charges will apply.
Drivers have the option of cashless parking in a number of town centre car parks and can pay on their phones through the PayByPhone app. More information is available at www.chesterfield.gov.uk
For further information on how you can save money by pre-purchasing weekly, monthly or annual parking permits, please visit the council’s website www.chesterfield.gov.uk.
Parking savers can also be purchased through the PayByPhone app. The code to access the parking savers on the app is ‘804576’.
Residents are reminded to use their Resident’s Permit, which entitles them to park for free in most car parks before 10am and after 3pm Monday to Saturday and all day on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
Waste and recycling
Waste and recycling collection services will run as normal.
Housing repairs
The Council is working to maintain housing repair services where it is safe and appropriate to do so. It will contact council tenants if there are changes that they need to be aware of.
Support services
Business support
The council is still awaiting Government guidance on the business support schemes that will operate through the period of the four-week lockdown. The council anticipates receiving an allocation of funding to enable it to give grants of up to £3,000 (with the amounts per business linked to rateable value) per business where they are required to close for the period from 5 November to 2 December.
With Chesterfield borough moving from a Tier 1 area to a Tier 2 area (high Covid alert level) on 17 October, the council will also receive an allocation of funding to support businesses in the hospitality, leisure and accommodation sectors that suffered from reduced demand from 17 October to 4 November.
Finally, the council will receive a share of Government’s recently announced £1.1 billion Additional Restrictions Grant. The amount of funding the council will receive is still to be confirmed. This is a discretionary grant scheme for local authorities to decide how best to use it to support local businesses.
The council will share more details on the above schemes when it has received further Government guidance and knows exactly how much funding it has to allocate. The funding will be used to support eligible local businesses affected both immediately prior to and during the period of the four-week lockdown.
Find out more about the support available to local businesses here
Careline
The Careline service is unaffected.
Homelessness support
Rough sleepers are vulnerable to contracting Covid-19 due to their inability to self-isolate and comply with social distancing guidelines and therefore the council is encouraging anyone who may need help to get in touch as soon as possible.
Anyone who needs support is encouraged to contact the homelessness prevention team on 07870 277291 (calls only, not text messages) or homelessness.prevention@chesterfield.gov.uk
More information is available on our website at www.chesterfield.gov.uk/housing/homeslessness
Community support information
For more information about local community support organisations and projects please visit www.chesterfield.gov.uk/community-support-information
