Coronavirus help for businesses
The government has a single point of information for businesses seeking assistance following the Coronavirus outbreak.
See https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/
Some kerbside waste collections suspended
This is because the recycling centres for these items are unable to accept them for processing as staff shortages due to illness and social distancing has meant work at these centres cannot continue as it did before the Coronavirus pandemic.
Unfortunately, the councils do not have storage for such items and so cannot collect them at this time.
They have issued a warning to residents; Please do *not* put unwanted or broken electrical items or batteries in the general refuse (rubbish) or recycling as they can cause a fire in the bin trucks.
A fire in the truck could endanger the lives of bin crews and others nearby. A fire could also lead to the loss of a bin truck and less of a service at a time when the waste service is needed by everyone.
Parish Council meetings in April cancelled
The April meetings of the parish council and Neighbourhood Planning Steering Group have been cancelled in order to comply with the provisions of the Coronavirus Act 2020.
SODC: Parking charges suspended
South and Vale have taken this action to support key workers and those who need to shop for essential food or medical supplies during the Coronavirus pandemic.
All charges are suspended until 1 June and during this time you do not have to display a ticket. Any outstanding car park permits, recently expired or due to expire, will also be honoured until that date – permit holders therefore do not need to take any action before then.
Business help websites now online
Businesses in South Oxfordshire, can find the form and more details via the South website and businesses in the Vale of White Horse can access the information via the Vale website.
The two councils are working with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to understand the UK Government’s support for businesses through this period of disruption caused by Coronavirus. The Government’s package of measures to support businesses include:
- a 12-month business rates holiday for all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England
- grant funding of £25,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with property with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000
- small business grant funding of £10,000 for all business in receipt of small business rate relief or rural rate relief
Both South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils are responsible for administering these programmes. Officers are working with BEIS to ensure the payment process adheres to the latest Government guidance. The businesses that are eligible for the grants and rates relief will be notified when the grants are ready to be distributed.
For further advice and support, please visit the South and Vale Business Support website: https://www.svbs.co.uk/coronavirus-guidance-and-support/ .
The quickest way for South and Vale businesses to receive information about the latest government support is to sign up to receive the newsletter at www.svbs.co.uk.
More Coronavirus scams
Action Fraud is warning of more frauds being perpetrated using Coronavirus as cover.
It appears that the majority of reports relate to online shopping scams where individuals have ordered protective face masks, hand sanitiser and other products, which have never arrived. Other frauds being reported include ticket fraud, romance fraud, charity fraud and lender loan fraud.
Detailed counter fraud advice is available online, including from Scamsmart, ActionFraud, CIFAS, TakeFive, Citizens Advice, Trading Standards and the National Cyber Security Centre.
Frauds can be reported to Action Fraud via https://www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. To report offers of financial assistance from HMRC contact .
See the attachment below for more detail.
Parish Notes available
The latest issue of the Parish Notes is now online (as well as in your letterbox).
You can find it via Your Community > Parish Notes.
Changes to waste collection
SODC’s waste collection service disruption plan is now in place as a result of Coronavirus.
Waste contractor, Biffa, has suffered some staff shortages due to illness and self-isolation but is managing this by redeploying staff and using agency drivers.
However, with new crew members unfamiliar with the routes and in some cases fewer staff, it’s likely that on occasions, crews might not be able to complete all of their daily rounds and so some bins might not be emptied on their usual collection day.
- The advice for residents is as follows: if the bins in your street are not emptied, please leave them out for up to three days (including weekends) and Biffa will try to catch up. If still not emptied, bring them back in and they will be emptied on the next planned collection day.
- SODC is working with Biffa to prioritise critical waste services. To help with this plan SODC has suspended some non-essential services, including new bulky waste bookings, new garden waste subscriptions and investigating abandoned vehicles.
- SODC is urging residents to sort their waste carefully – food in food waste bins, rubbish in black bins and clean, dry, loose recycling in their green recycling bins.
SODC will prioritise food, rubbish and clinical waste collections and some elements of street cleansing, including emptying litter bins.
It’s also possible that SODC may have to suspend garden waste services so it can focus on essential waste collections, as other councils have. If this is the case, SODC will let residents know through our social media sites and council websites.
Parish emergency documents
As we come to the end of the first week of the restrictions introduced to attempt to slow the spread of the Coronavirus, it is pleasing to see such a positive response from the community.
I would like to thank all those who are supporting parishioners who are self-isolating by shopping, collecting prescriptions, caring for pets, etc. The parish council has invoked the Emergency Plan which formalises some the work that has already taken place. In addition, the council is operating under special measures detailed in the High Consequence Infectious Disease Policy to allow decisions to be made without the need for the council to meet face to face.
We are looking at further measures that may assist parishioners. I have been in touch with Lloyds Pharmacy to explore the feasibility of setting up a scheme to allow the collection and delivery of prescriptions for those who are entitled to free health care. If we are able to achieve this, it will reduce the number of parishioners having to travel to Chinnor for prescriptions.
The documents noted above can be found via the menu bar above under Parish Council > Publications.
Peter Tinson
Aston Rowant Parish Council
Coronavirus – scam alert
Sadly there are those who will attempt to take advantage of the vulnerability of some – all in the name of helping them through Coronavirus.
There is but one message: Be alert for scams.
Never respond to any organisation asking you to move funds to a ‘safe place’ – no bank or police officer will ever ask you to do that.
If offered help with the inducement of a cash payment, be very cautious. All forms of official help can be found on the government website at https://www.gov.uk. (Look for the padlock symbol and the text ‘https’ in the web address). Don’t follow a link – go to https://www.gov.uk yourself.
If you are unsure about the veracity of a website, offer of help or a request, SEEK third party advice. If you receive an email or communication out of the blue offering money, bin it. If you get a caller at the door, close it. And if you receive an unsolicited call, put the phone down.
To prove the point, look at the image below that was forwarded to ARPC from district councillor Ian White. It’s a text that leads to a lookalike fake government website.
Please stay alert.
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