Get in touch ...

Know of something happening in
Llangollen? Tweet
us on @llanblogger
E-mail your contributions to: llanblogger@gmail.com

We are on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/llanbloggercouk/139122552895186



Thursday, November 5, 2020

Latest coronavirus update from Welsh Government

 

Latest coronavirus update from the Welsh Government, dated yesterday, is:

 

 

 

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

 

Coronavirus in numbers

Where to find the latest information

o   Mental Health Minister Eluned Morgan held today’s press conference. You can watch again at: https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1323962244862930944

 


Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

£3million boost for most vulnerable mental health service users


* Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing Eluned Morgan.

Additional funding of nearly £3million will support some of the most vulnerable mental health service users in Wales during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Welsh Government has announced.  

Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing Eluned Morgan has vowed to provide a ‘helping hand’ to those looking for work, permanent accommodation, who may be struggling with mental health or substance misuse problems in the midst of this pandemic.

The additional funding will provide early, targeted support, for the most vulnerable individuals in a preventative capacity to reduce the escalation of often complex needs.

The funding is split into seven distinct areas and will see the Welsh Government work in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions, local authorities, the police and Area Planning Boards, as well as supporting health boards to provide voluntary sector led mental health support in their areas.

Funding includes:

  • £1.4million towards third sector led schemes designed to address low level mental health and wellbeing need
  • £75,000 will fund the ‘I Can Work’ programme supporting people with mild to moderate mental health problems into paid work
  • £25,000 to support development for the substance misuse workforce to ensure they are adequately skilled and supported to provide essential services
  • £750,000 to provide residential rehabilitation accommodation for those with complex needs to successfully transition to living independently in permanent accommodation
  • £500,000 to provide PPE to substance misuse services providing a range of support for some of the most vulnerable people in society
  • £150,000 Digital Inclusion Fund for the enhancement of digital services for service users who are currently excluded
  • £50,000 to support work with police forces across Wales piloting nasal naloxone kits as part of the drive to reduce drug related deaths

Eluned Morgan said: "We know that early intervention is vital for better outcomes. We’ve seen the devastating effect this pandemic has had on the most vulnerable members of our society and we must provide an extra helping hand when they need it.

"This funding is a key part of our recovery plan, where we have committed to protecting and improving individuals’ well-being, supporting the homeless, and reducing unemployment to give people the best chance in life.

"These are tough times for us all to live through, but if we look out for each other and support the vulnerable, we will get through it. Anyone concerned about their mental health or that of a relative or friend can access the C.A.L.L. Helpline on 0800 137 737 or can text ‘help’ to 81066."

Posted by at No comments:

Calls for government statement on care home visits

 


North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has called for an urgent Welsh Government statement on Covid-19 Restrictions on visits to care homes in Wales after being contacted by families who said they are "desperate" to visit their loved ones.

Raising the matter in the Senedd he said his constituents are concerned that the restrictions are having a detrimental impact on their elderly relatives.

And he quoted from the letter from one who wrote: “Our mother has only resided at the nursing home since February.

“Visits stopped completely during the first wave of the pandemic and resumed with outdoor visits in mid-August. However all visits stopped again on 1st October.

“The restrictions on visiting at this moment are detrimental to Mum's health and well-being and an infringement of her civil liberties and rights.

“I hope that you will urge the Welsh Government to advise that where visits to residents in care homes can be made safely, they should be re-instated as soon as possible.”

Mr Isherwood said: “I call for an urgent statement accordingly.”

The Trefnydd Rebecca Evans said she would speak to the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services, adding: "In order to “provide an update on the latest work that is going on to ensure that we're best able to support people who are in care homes, but also recognising that the needs are not just around protecting people from COVID-19, but also about promoting their mental health and well-being and ensuring that they keep those family ties alive.”

Posted by at No comments:

Coronavirus update from Welsh Government

Latest coronavirus update from the Welsh Government, dated yesterday, is:

·         First Minister Mark Drakeford (pictured) has set out the further details about the new national measures which will be introduced when the firebreak ends on November 9.

o   In a statement to the Senedd, he confirmed a group of four people would be able to meet in indoor public spaces, such as pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes.

o   The hospitality sector will also introduce pre-booking, time slots and collect contact details to support the Test Trace Protect system.

o   The 10pm curfew on alcohol sales will remain in place in Wales.

o   The system will be reviewed after two weeks.

o   The First Minister’s statement is available at: https://record.assembly.wales/Plenary/6616#A61801  

 

·         The Covid-19 risk assessment tool is available to download for a variety of workplace settings, including the NHS and education

o   The self-assessment tool was developed by the Covid-19 BAME advisory group

o   More information: https://gov.wales/covid-19-workforce-risk-assessment-tool

 

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 1,119 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to 54,456 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wales since the start of the pandemic.

o   Sadly, another four deaths were reported by Public Health Wales today. The total number of deaths reported by Public Health Wales is 1,895.

o   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

·         The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today published statistics on provisional weekly deaths, including deaths involving COVID-19, for the week ending 23 October.

o   The cumulative number of deaths involving Covid-19 in Welsh residents up to 23 October was 2,806.

o   Of the deaths registered in the week ending 23 October, there were provisionally 65 deaths involving Covid-19 in Welsh residents. This was 10% of all deaths and 18 more than the previous week. The number of weekly registered deaths involving Covid peaked in April.

o   This is the sixth successive week the number of deaths have increased and they are at the highest level since mid-June.

o   For the period 29 February to 23 October, there were a total of 2,418 excess deaths (12%) above the five-year average. The excess death rate for Wales for this period was lower than in England.

o   https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/latest

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   Dr Andrew Goodall, chief executive of NHS Wales held today’s press conference. You can watch again at: https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1323599344717606913

 

Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Businesses will cease to trade if there are more lockdowns, survey shows

* Ashley Rogers, commercial director of the Business Council.

A survey has revealed that 40% per cent of North Wales businesses across tourism, hospitality, retail and leisure say they will cease to trade if there are any more lockdowns.

The study, conducted by North Wales Tourism with support from the North Wales Business Council, also revealed that 17% of those who took part had already made people redundant as a result of the Covid restrictions – with many more job losses likely.

Almost a third of the companies that responded said they were planning more redundancies by the end of March losing on average 27% of their current workforce.

On top of that more than 30% said that any new lockdowns would mean further redundancies over and above those already planned.

According to Ashley Rogers, the commercial director of the Business Council, the findings laid bare the "catastrophic" economic consequences of the pandemic so far and what will happen without additional financial support from the UK and Welsh governments.

More than 360 companies from across the region took part in the Trade Impact Survey which was carried out over four days.

The aim was to find out how local lockdowns affected businesses and what impact any further lockdowns would have on them. 

For the average business, only 18% of their turnover was generated by local customers who live in the same county.

But for accommodation providers like hotels, guest houses, camping sites and caravan parks, only five per cent of their turnover came from locals.

Meanwhile, 69% of businesses said that trading is not viable for them under a local lockdown and they would need to close until travel restrictions were lifted.

Concerns were also expressed about the impact the crisis was having on the mental and physical health of people running the businesses.

Over a third said their mental health was badly affected while 13% said their physical health had suffered.

Mr Rogers said: “The data is clear, even with the existing and recently announced supports from both UK and Welsh Governments we are looking at major job losses across these sectors even without any further lockdowns.

“Should further lockdowns restrict travel and therefore access to North Wales for our main sources of visitors, the North West of England and the Midlands, then the majority of our businesses in these sectors are unable to trade viably, even if they are allowed to remain open.

“In the case of further lockdowns in North Wales or in our main customer markets, further financial support has to be provided to tourism, hospitality, leisure, retail and their direct supply chains.

“We will not avoid the catastrophic economic and mental health fallout in these sectors if more lockdowns are brought in, without further Government support and that needs to be coordinated between UK and Welsh Government, so that national Wales and UK wide schemes dovetail to support our businesses that are negatively impacted but allowed to remain open or required to close.”

Jim Jones, the chief executive of North Wales Tourism and the chair of the Business Council, said: “The private sector has responded with incredible speed to this call for live feedback on what is happening in North Wales and our businesses should be applauded for getting involved.

“This is in line with the huge amount of work and investment they have already undertaken to become Covid secure. One local hotel alone has spent £40,000 on making changes to their business.

“We understand that public health comes first but the results of this study shout from the rooftops what is coming down the line, if further lockdowns are put in place without further support.

“The private sector in our region needs two things, meaningful engagement around future lockdowns and the data that supports them and new financial support, should new restrictions be put in place.

“We are asking the public sector to do the right thing by our North Wales businesses and workers across the sectors impacted by lockdowns, and to engage with the private sector on a regional level.

“North Wales Tourism is committed to working with the Business Council and its membership and both Welsh and UK Governments to see how we can use this valuable data, to best support our region.”

Debbie Bryce, the chief executive of West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce said: “The results of this survey lay bare the dramatic impact lockdown restrictions are having on the tourism, hospitality, retail and leisure businesses in North Wales.”

“Firms have put hard work and precious cash into making their businesses Covid-secure and must be allowed to operate unless there is overwhelming and clear evidence to the contrary. For those firms that are forced to close or reduce operations, there needs to be a clear exit strategy to prevent economic paralysis.”

“The survey reveals the stark reality that without further financial support from UK and Welsh government for those businesses affected by lockdowns, there will be catastrophic consequences for firms in North Wales.”

Mike Learmond, FSB North Wales Senior Development Manager, said: “Firms were already weathering a huge storm before the beginning of the firebreak lockdown, and this will only lead to more challenges for Wales’ business community.

“For some time, FSB Wales has been calling for Welsh Government to introduce a Tourism Hibernation Fund to provide a mix of grant and loan funding to those tourism and hospitality firms that have borne the brunt of the economic impact of coronavirus.

“These businesses need our support in order to manage the difficult winter months and still be able to come back in the spring of 2021.

“This survey lays bare some of the huge issues facing businesses and outlines just how important it is that we all consider supporting local firms whenever it is safe and possible. I would urge anyone who can to think about how they can support the firms that are the very fabric of our communities at such a critical time.”

Sara Jones, head of the Welsh Retail Consortium, said: “This survey provides a stark warning of the challenges ahead for the retail industry in North Wales. 

“The extent to which retail remains the cornerstone of our high streets and can remain the largest private sector employer will be heavily dependent on the decisions made by MSs and governments.

“Government support for retail during the pandemic has been substantial, but lockdowns and travel restrictions have had a devastating impact. With retailers’ revenues continuing to fall short more will be required.”

Posted by at No comments:

Latest coronavirus update from the Welsh Government


Latest coronavirus update from the Welsh Government, dated yesterday, is:

 

 

 

 

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

Coronavirus in numbers

Where to find the latest information

o   First Minister Mark Drakeford held today’s press conference. You can watch again at: https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1323237353956143105

 
Posted by at No comments:

Monday, November 2, 2020

Temporary traffic measures begin to be put in place


* New double yellow lines outside the library and the Town Hall.


* Line painting in progress on Castle Street this morning.

The package of temporary traffic measures designed to aid public safety in the town centre during the pandemic started to be applied today (Monday).

First signs of the new times were double yellow lines along Castle Street where parking is now prohibited.

Denbighshire County Council recently published the temporary traffic order enabling the moves.

The council says it is making the order for “reasons of public safety following the pandemic and in accordance with Welsh Government regulations”.

The aim, it says, is to “facilitate easier on-street mobility of the public on foot or by pedal cycle with greater self-distancing for individuals”.

The order come into force today and will remain in force for a maximum of 18 months.

It enables the council to:

* Reverse the one-way restriction on Church Street between its junction with Chapel Street and its junction with Regent Street. 

This, says the council, will reduce instances of ‘rat running’ and provide improved access to schools and the town centre for pedestrians and cyclists.

* Introduce a widened pedestrian area on the eastern side of Castle Street between its junction with Bridge Street and its junction with Regent Street. 

This will be achieved with the introduction of bolt-down kerbing and will provide enhanced facilities for people to social distance and travel actively. 

To facilitate this work, on-street parking will be suspended on Castle Street for the duration of the trial period.

* Introduce a one-way restriction on Market Street between its junction with Castle Street and its junction with East Street. 

Vehicles will be allowed to enter Market Street from Castle Street and proceed in a westerly direction. 

The purpose of this restriction is to provide an additional loading bay, for use by businesses, along the north side of Market Street.

Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)