coronavirus

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

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Chesterfield residents must follow stricter local rules from Saturday

Residents in Chesterfield are being urged to follow stricter rules coming into force from Saturday 17 October, in a bid to slow the rise in coronavirus cases.

Speaking in the Commons today, Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock MP, announced that Chesterfield – along with North East Derbyshire and Erewash – will be put into Tier 2 of the government’s Covid alert system – and will be placed on ‘high’ alert from 12.01am on Saturday.

It follows a review of the local situation by Government, in liaison with the Chesterfield Borough Council and neighbouring North East Derbyshire District Council, Derbyshire County Council and local MPs.

As well as following the continued guidance to wash hands, stay apart and wear a face covering it means:

  • Different households or support bubbles should not mix indoors – at home, someone else’s home, pubs, restaurants, hotels or other hospitality venues, leisure venues or shops
  • When outdoors people should stick to the rule of six, including children.
  • If going on holiday, this should only be with the people they live with or that are in their support bubble
  • Family and friends can provide informal childcare as part of a childcare bubble – the bubble is limited to two households only so that informal childcare is provided by the same carers each time
  • Only visit care homes in exceptional circumstances
    All businesses, leisure facilities and other places which are allowed to open by law can remain open providing they meet Covid-19 secure guidance
  • Pubs, bars restaurants and other hospitality venues close at 10pm – drive-through services, click and collect and delivery services can continue after 10pm
  • You can take part in sport and physical activity outdoors but organised indoor exercise classes are only permitted if it’s possible to avoid mixing with people you don’t live with or share a support bubble with – there are exceptions for children and people with a disability

Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “Nobody wants to see stricter lockdown measures brought in locally but the health and safety of our communities, particularly our most vulnerable, must be our priority.

“We understand that this is a concerning time for our residents, and our business community. But local infection rates are too high and are rising so it is critical that we act now to help stop the spread.

“Each and every one of us has a part to play in controlling the spread of this virus – I urge everyone in Chesterfield to make sure they are familiar with the new restrictions, check their behaviour and make sure they are doing all they can to protect themselves, their families and the communities in which they live and work.”

Derbyshire’s Director of Public Health Dean Wallace, who is leading the county’s response to the outbreak, urged people to follow the tighter ‘lockdown’ rules.

“We all have a duty to do everything it takes to stop the spread of this highly contagious virus.

“The steep rise in the numbers of cases is deeply concerning, although not surprising given Chesterfield and North East are so close to Sheffield, and Erewash borders Nottinghamshire, which are all currently on ‘high’ alert and under extra restrictions. It’s more important than ever that we all work together to beat this.

“I’m really proud of the way Derbyshire communities have supported each other through this epidemic but this isn’t over – we simply can’t afford to take our eye off the ball.

“I realise that these extra restrictions for these areas will be frustrating but they are also necessary as we’re seeing a lot of community transmission.

“I cannot emphasise enough that from Saturday people from different households should not be mixing indoors, unless it is with people who are in their ‘bubble’ and they should stick to the ‘rule of 6’ when outside.

“I know it’s difficult but I’m asking everyone to summon their famous Derbyshire spirit and play their part to keep themselves, their family, friends and colleagues safe.”

For more information about local restrictions please visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/coronavirus

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Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire residents urged to follow local coronavirus restrictions

Residents in Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire are being urged to follow the rules in the face of rising numbers of coronavirus cases.

Areas covered by Chesterfield Borough Council and North East Derbyshire District Council are currently classed as ‘medium’ risk (or Tier 1) under the Government’s new local Covid alert levels announced on Monday 12 October.

However, this position is currently under review by Government – in liaison with the two local authorities, Derbyshire County Council and local MPs – and a decision to potentially class the two areas as ‘high’ risk (or Tier 2) could be taken at the end of the week.

Residents are now being urged to make sure they continue to follow the basic HANDS, FACE, SPACE advice, stick to the rule of six, wear face coverings where required and follow all other restrictions currently in place under the Government’s ‘medium’ risk alert level to help limit the spread of the virus.

Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “Everyone across the town and borough has pulled together to help protect the most vulnerable in our communities over the past seven months.

“But in spite of these efforts, the number of local coronavirus cases is now a cause for concern. The infection rate is too high, and we must jointly consider what further measures may be needed at this critical time.

“Nobody wants to see stricter lockdown measures brought in locally but the health and safety of our communities, particularly our most vulnerable, must be our priority.

“Each and every one of us has a part to play in controlling the spread of this virus – I’m urging everyone in Chesterfield to check their behaviour and make sure they are doing all they can to protect themselves, their families and the communities in which they live and work.”

Cllr Alex Dale, Leader of North East Derbyshire District Council, said: “We must make sure we are as vigilant as possible as the infection rate in our district has risen quickly in the last week.

“There is real concern about this sudden rise in cases and I would urge all of our residents to take extra care where they can and to heed the Government’s hands, face, space message – and to wash their hands regularly.

“Please do everything you can to keep the spread of infection under control. By working together, we can contain the spread of this disease and it is this unity and ‘in this together’ spirit which will help keep our loved ones safe.

“You can keep up to date with the fast-moving situation by visiting our website for updates and by following us and our partners on social media. Doing so will help us to act fast and robustly to curb these alarming rises in our district.”

Dean Wallace, Director of Public Health for Derbyshire, said: “We all have a duty to do everything it takes to stop the spread of this highly contagious virus.

“The steep rise in the numbers of cases is deeply concerning and while we don’t wish for tighter restrictions to be imposed in any area of Derbyshire, we won’t hesitate to act if further measures are required to help bring the infection rate under control.

“I know it’s difficult but I’m asking everyone to summon their famous Derbyshire spirit and play their part to keep themselves, their family, friends and colleagues safe.

“I’m really proud of the way Derbyshire communities have supported each other through this epidemic but this isn’t over – we simply can’t afford to take our eye off the ball.”

For more information about local restrictions please visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/coronavirus

 

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