What's happening in Wales after firebreak lockdown ends

* First Minister Mark Drakeford in today's press conference. 

A new set of national rules will apply once the Wales-wide firebreak lockdown comes to an end at 00:01 on Monday November 9.

The First Minister said in this afternoon's press conference that everyone in Wales has an important part to play in helping to prevent the spread of coronavirus – and this means thinking carefully about the contact we all have with other people.

He added: "The more people we meet, the more people are at risk from coronavirus."

The new national measures, which the First Minister began to set out today, are designed to protect people’s health and provide as much freedom as possible while the virus remains in circulation.

Some of the new measures are still being finalised following the "unexpected" announcement over the weekend about a month-long lockdown in England, which will start on Thursday.

The new national measures include:

• The need to maintain two metre social distancing and wear face masks in enclosed public places, including on public transport and taxis, will continue
• The requirement to work from home whenever possible will remain
• People should only meet with their ‘bubble’ in their own home and only two households will be able to form a ‘bubble’. If one person from either household develops symptoms, everyone should immediately self-isolate
• Up to 15 people can take part in an organised indoors activity and up to 30 in an organised activity outdoors, providing all social distancing, hand hygiene and other covid safety measures are followed
• All premises, such as restaurants, cafes, pubs and gyms, closed during the firebreak, will be able to reopen. Following the announcement about the English lockdown, Ministers are having ongoing discussions with the hospitality sector about the detailed rules for reopening. This includes about meeting in public indoor spaces
• As part of keeping risks to a minimum, people should avoid non-essential travel as much as possible. There will be no legal restrictions on travel within Wales for residents, but international travel should be for essential reasons only.

In addition:

• All schools will reopen
• Churches and places of worship will resume services
• Local authority services will resume but based on local circumstances
• Community centres will be available for small groups to meet safely indoors in the winter months.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said: "Each of us has an important part to play in slowing the spread of coronavirus in Wales and saving lives – we cannot do this without your help.

"Everyone has made so many sacrifices this year already. To make sure we do not lose all this hard work, we need to carry on looking after each other and keeping ourselves safe.

"This is a virus which thrives on human contact. Social contact is important to all of us but to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe, we need to think carefully about all our meetings and contacts with other people and try and reduce them to reduce our risk of infection.

"Rather than us asking what we can or can’t do, we need to ask ourselves what should we be doing to keep our families safe.

"Government rules and regulations are here to help. But the real strength we have is in the choices we make and the actions we take together."

Your views on creating better communities are sought

* Before the lockdown, a repair cafe in full swing.

Llangollen and Mold Town Councils and a number of community groups from across North East Wales have developed a short online survey to explore ideas which could help reduce household costs, increase well-being, provide learning opportunities and reduce pressure on our planet.

Mair Davies, one of the team from Llangollen, said: “Opinions are wanted on a number of initiatives to support a more circular economy in Wales – one where items are reused, repaired, swapped and borrowed rather than people buying new each time. 

"Some of these initiatives could include repair cafes, community recycling, clothes swaps, refill schemes and Libraries of Things. 

"The idea of a Library of Things is to help cut expenditure on items that are not often used - such as hand drills, hedge trimmers, suitcases and tents - and to reduce the amount of new products being bought.

“In an excellent display of cooperation and co-working, Llangollen and Mold Town Councils have pledged their support to a Mobile Library of Things and a sum £4,500 each over the next three years to help deliver this joint project in their communities – subject to additional funding to deliver the project being secured."

She added: "We are looking to engage with businesses, residents and community groups and local councils in our areas and beyond to try and find out how we can best deliver circular economy initiatives and use this information to obtain further funding to collaborate  and provide the support our communities need.”

Andrea Mearns from Mold Town Council said: "These initiatives are firmly in line with Cittaslow principles around sustainability and also the Welsh Government commitment to Future Generations, reducing carbon emissions and impact on biodiversity.

“Please take a few minutes to complete the survey by November 11, 2020. Your views are important to us. And please share the link to the survey widely."

The survey can be found on facebook at CircularEconomyNEW, or https://forms.gle/yfRtkdVRuEFHevBe9

If you would prefer the survey sending in the post get in touch with Mold Town Council on 01352 757687.

Nominate your local pub for an award, says MP

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes (pictured) is supporting PubAid’s campaign and encouraging local entries for its 2020 Community Pub Hero Awards.

Every year, PubAid runs a competition to find the Charity Pub of the Year, sponsored by Matthew Clark and run in conjunction with the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group. 

This year, the country’s pubs, and people’s lives more broadly, have been disrupted by the Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown. 

Pubs closed and fundraising became near-impossible – but that didn’t stop licensees and their teams across the country from doing all they could to support their communities.

PubAid therefore decided to change the name of the competition this year to the Community Pub Hero Awards, and are looking for pubs who went the extra mile to help others during the pandemic. 

Maybe by offering vital supplies for local residents, cooking hot meals for the elderly or keeping people connected through online quizzes or chats. 

Simon Baynes said: "There are some amazing pubs in Clwyd South who have really gone the extra mile to help their communities through the pandemic. 

"I’d encourage any Clwyd South residents who know of any such pubs to send in a nomination so our local licensees and teams get the recognition they deserve.”

* To nominate a pub, please complete a nomination form before 30^th November by visiting http://www.pubaid.com/.

Judges will review entries received and publish a shortlist. All finalists will be invited, with their MP, to an online ceremony in the new year when the overall winner will be announced. 

Shape My Llangollen secures £3,500 National Lottery windfall to finish its work

* In summer 2019 SML chair and vice-chair, Phil Robinson and Issy Richards, conduct  a public consultation exercise outside the Co-op in Regent Street.

The team putting together Llangollen’s official input into the county’s new Local Development Plan (LDP) has received a £3,500 National Lottery windfall to finish the job.

Shape My Llangollen was formed by the town council in 2018 to ensure Llangollen people have their say on the new masterplan for Denbighshire’s future up until the year 2033.

A team of volunteers embarked on an exhaustive round of public consultation to sound out local opinion on a range of key issues.

They eventually received over 1,700 separate answers on a very wide range of topics such as traffic and parking, the appearance of the town centre, local services and facilities and the environment.

The mass of evidence gathered has been constantly refined and will eventually be published in SML’s final report which will be subject to scrutiny by the town council before being submitted to the county council for incorporation into the new LDP.

Shape My Llangollen was just about to host its final round of public consultation when the country went into its first Covid-19 lockdown back in March.

Despite the need to observe social distancing SML’s work has continued, with its members getting together at regular online meetings.

However, a lay-off of over seven months put the work of the team way behind schedule, especially the completion of its final report, and so to bring it back on track members recently took the decision to employ specialist consultants to put their expert finishing touches to the project.

In a bid to secure the necessary cash to cover the cost of the consultants the team recently put in a bid to the National Lottery.

And it has just been given the good news that it has been granted £3,594 by the Lottery’s Community Fund.

This will go to cover the full cost of the consultants who are based in Powys and have done similar work for major organisations across Wales.

SML chair Phil Robinson said: “We are absolutely delighted that the Lottery has agreed to grant us this money which will now allow us to finish the job we started over two years ago.

“Like many organisations our work, which we believe is vital to the future of our town, was disrupted by the pandemic.

“In our case that was just as we were reaching the final furlong of what had been quite a tough exercise.

“We believe that our consultations with the public were the most exhaustive ever undertaken in Llangollen and resulted in over 1,700 separate answers to the questions we posed on what people liked and disliked about their town and the way in which they would like to see it go forward.

“We remain extremely grateful to everyone who took part in our question-and-answer sessions and now also to the Lottery’s Community Fund by granting us this fantastic sum which will help our work to be finished and our community to thrive.”          

MP welcomes extra 95 police in north Wales since last year

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes has welcomed the announcement that North Wales has been bolstered by an additional 95 officers since the Conservative UK Government launched its major police recruitment drive one year ago.

The addition of these new officers brings the total number of police across North Wales up to 1,602.

Since the launch of the UK Government’s recruitment campaign one year ago, a total of 5,824 extra officers have joined police forces across England and Wales.

My Baynes says these statistics confirm that the UK Government remains fully on track to meet its manifesto commitment of recruiting 20,000 extra officers by 2023, and is ahead of schedule to have the first 6,000 in place by March 2021.

The figures also show, he says, that the police workforce is now more diverse than ever before, with 10.7 per cent of new recruits identifying as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, and with 9,842 of all officers now being from these groups.

"Alongside the recruitment campaign, the Conservative UK Government is also boosting police pay by 2.5 per cent this year, equivalent to a constable receiving an extra £1,100, providing officers with an increase above inflation for the second year running, the largest pay rise in a decade," Mr Baynes said.

"The Government is also enshrining a new police covenant into law, which will offer enhanced support and protection for frontline officers, and is bringing forward legislation to double the maximum sentence for those convicted of assaults on frontline staff including police officers, firefighters and paramedics.

"Other steps to support our frontline officers include a £1.1 billion funding boost for police forces this year – the biggest increase in a decade, funding to provide over 8,000 more officers with Taser devices, and personalised new stop and search powers so that officers can effectively target repeat offenders."

He added: "Getting more police officers onto our streets is one of people’s top priorities, so I am delighted that in just over one year, this Conservative Government has already delivered an extra 95 officers across North Wales.

“Every one of these officers will make an enormous difference in helping to cut crime and keep people safe – and I know that many more will follow as this UK Government continues to deliver on its promise to recruit 20,000 more over the next three years.

“By backing our police with the funding, powers and resources they need, we are keeping the public and our communities safe, so that people everywhere can live their lives free from the fear of crime.”

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “Getting more police officers on our streets is a priority for the British people – therefore a priority for me.

“Just one year since we began recruiting, I am delighted that there are nearly 6,000 of the 20,000 additional officers on our streets cutting crime and making your communities safer.

“As we’ve seen from the frontline response to coronavirus, the work of each and every police officer helps to save lives and I would like to extend my gratitude to them, and to the new recruits, for joining the police and being a part of this heroic national effort.”

Railway launches urgent appeal to save crucial Dee Bridge

* Urgent repairs are needed to Dee Bridge on the line of Llangollen Railway.

Llangollen Railway has launched an urgent appeal to raise £15,000 for repairs to a Victorian bridge vital to its running of trains.

In a post on its Facebook page, the railway's fundraiser officer Paul Bailey says: "If we are to run trains over the Dee Bridge next year we first have to renew the timbers on the bridge.

"This work, including purchasing the timbers, is costing £15,000 - monies the railway currently has not got.

"We have therefore launched an appeal to raise these monies without which we will not be able to carry out the necessary repairs to run train services in 2021.

"If anyone wishes to contribute to this appeal please contact me on 01490 450271, or email paulbaileywincham@yahoo.co.uk for payment methods."

A railway spokesperson said: "The bridge dates from 1865 when the line opened but is a remarkable survivor as the scrapman didn't demolish it in 1968 when the line was closed by Beeching.

"Without it remaining in situ the infant Llangollen Railway would never have got beyond Pentrefelin.

"The LR society, as it was, renovated it in 1984 with some grant aid as part of the extension to Berwyn.

"The need for renewal now is for the timbers which support the rails across the steel structure - a regular maintenance job. It is made more complex this time by the lack of income when no trains are running, with the appeal to members and supporters for cash to allow the expensive new timbers to be purchased ahead of replacement work in 2021."

Coronavirus update from the Welsh Government

 

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• Latest coronavirus update from the Welsh Government, dated yesterday (Friday), is: 
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• People told to self-isolate for up to 14 days will be eligible for financial support from the Welsh Government as two new schemes are unveiled today [Friday October 30].
• People on low incomes can apply to receive a £500 payment if they have tested positive for coronavirus or they are asked to self-isolate by the NHS Wales Test Trace Protect service because they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus.
• And a new top-up payment is being introduced for the social care workforce in Wales, to increase statutory sick pay to their normal wages if they have to take time off because they have coronavirus or are self-isolating.
• Up to £32m is being made available by the Welsh Government for the two schemes to support people and remove the financial barriers faced by people needing to self-isolate.
• https://gov.wales/two-schemes-help-people-self-isolate-be-introduced-wales
• Watch First Minister Mark Drakeford’s press conference: https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1322150445725310977
• More than 5,500 businesses have applied for £100m in business development grants
• The £100m business grants element of Welsh Government’s Economic Resilience Fund (ERF) has been fully subscribed with more than 5,500 businesses applying for support.
• Businesses are still able to benefit from the £200m available from the third phase of the fund.
• https://gov.wales/more-5500-businesses-apply-100-million-business-development-grants
• Apply for business support: https://businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/lockdown-business-fund

 

• The coronavirus firebreak FAQs have been updated with a section about arrangements for Remembrance events: https://gov.wales/coronavirus-firebreak-frequently-asked-questions

 

Firebreak information

• A firebreak to break the cycle of infections and bring coronavirus under control began on Friday October 23 and ends on Monday November 9

• Frequently asked questions https://gov.wales/coronavirus-firebreak-frequently-asked-questions
• Overview of the rules to follow (multiple languages) https://gov.wales/coronavirus-firebreak-guidance-summary
• Closure of businesses summary: https://gov.wales/closure-businesses-and-premises-coronavirus-covid-19
• Taxi and private hire vehicles guidance: https://gov.wales/taxi-and-private-hire-vehicle-guidance
• Further education and apprenticeships: https://gov.wales/further-education-and-apprenticeships-coronavirus-firebreak-guidance
• Childcare and play guidance: https://gov.wales/childcare-and-play-coronavirus-firebreak-guidance
• Exams and assessments: https://gov.wales/examinations-and-assessments-coronavirus
• Schools guidance: https://gov.wales/schools-coronavirus-firebreak-guidance
• Support for businesses: https://businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/covid-19-support-business

 

Coronavirus in numbers

• The latest figures published by Public Health Wales today show there have been 1,737 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to 49,571 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wales since the start of the pandemic.
• Sadly, another 11 deaths were reported by Public Health Wales today. The total number of deaths reported by Public Health Wales is 1,859.
• These figures are updated daily at: https://public.tableau.com/profile/public.health.wales.health.protection#!/vizhome/RapidCOVID-19virology-Public/Headlinesummary 
• Public Health Wales has added a map to its surveillance dashboard showing the number of Covid-19 cases in small local areas. The map shows cases on a rolling seven-day or 21-day basis, or all cases since the start of the pandemic. It shows the number of cases and the rate per 100,000 people: https://public.tableau.com/profile/public.health.wales.health.protection#!/vizhome/RapidCOVID-19virology-Public/Headlinesummary

Where to find the latest information

• A firebreak to break the cycle of infections and bring coronavirus under control began on Friday October 23 and ends on Monday November 9. More information: https://gov.wales/coronavirus-firebreak-frequently-asked-questions 

• Public Health Wales provides a daily update about the number of cases of coronavirus in Wales. It is available at: https://covid19-phwstatement.nhs.wales/
• Information about coronavirus is available on the Welsh Government’s website at https://gov.wales/coronavirus and https://llyw.cymru/coronafeirws
• Information about support for businesses is available at the Business Wales website https://businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/
• If you can help the effort to produce PPE in Wales please visit https://businesswales.gov.wales/news-and-blogs/news/provision-critical-equipment-and-personal-protection-equipment-ppe
• The Welsh Government holds a regular media briefing about coronavirus. These are on-the-record, on-camera and supported by a BSL translator. These are held at 12.15pm and live-streamed on our @WelshGovernment Twitter channel.

o   First Minister Mark Drakeford held today’s briefing. You can watch again at: https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1322150445725310977