Covid-19 testing centre opens on Market Street car park

* The testing centre at Market Street car park.

The Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board has set up a temporary Covid-19 testing centre on the Market Street car park, which opens at 9.30am this morning (Saturday).

The walk-in and drive-in centre, which will stay open until 3.30pm and remain there until Monday December 28, is located in the coach parking area of the car park.

The health board says the aim is to make it easier for people in the area to get tested for Covid-19 closer to home.

The board adds that no appointment is needed for a test. Anybody with symptoms of COVID-19 can attend for testing.

The temporary testing unit in Ruthin has now closed.

* For more details about testing, go to: https://bcuhb.nhs.wales/covid-19/book-a-covid-19-test/

Hospitality firms can check on level of government support

Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism businesses impacted by latest coronavirus restrictions can now find out how much they can expect to receive from the latest round of the Welsh Government’s business support package.

The government recently announced £340m to assist businesses affected by coronavirus restrictions which came into force on 4 December.

The latest package includes a £160m Restrictions Business Fund, predominantly for businesses paying non domestic rates, and a £180m grant fund specifically for impacted businesses in the tourism, leisure and hospitality sectors.

Under this latest round of Welsh Government support a typical hospitality business in Wales with the equivalent of six fulltime staff could be eligible to receive between £12,000 and £14,000 to help them through this period of restrictions and into the New Year.

The £160m Restrictions Business Fund will see impacted businesses that pay non-domestic rates within the hospitality, tourism, leisure, retail sectors and their supply chain qualifying for a one-off payment of between £3,000 and £5,000.

Hospitality businesses that received non-domestic rates funding under the previous firebreak restrictions can expect this payment before Christmas. However, all other eligible businesses will need to register in the New Year to receive their payment.

Impacted firms, including those not paying business rates, can also apply for a share of the £180m Sector Specific Fund. This part of the package, which is calculated on a business’ staff count and turnover, is expected to support up to 8,000 businesses in sectors impacted by the restrictions and potentially a further 2,000 in related supply chains.

A new eligibility checker and calculator is now live on the Business Wales website to help businesses work out what support they can expect to qualify for.  Guidance will also be available for firms to help them through the application process for the Sector Specific Fund which will open during the week of 11 January.

Minister for the Economy, Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, said: “We know how difficult the latest restrictions are for our hospitality businesses, particularly at this time of year, but accelerating coronavirus rates have meant we have had to make difficult decisions to protect people’s health and save lives.

“Available evidence, including a recent paper by the UK’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) tells us that measures in Scotland’s level three and England’s tier three are effective in reducing virus spread. We have introduced this latest round of restrictions to bring us in line with Scotland level three and England tier 3.

“Through this £340m package of support we are working to directly assist hospitality businesses and to get financial support to them as quickly as possible. Many will receive between £3K and £5K this side of Christmas, and in addition can apply for a sector specific grant that will follow in the New Year.

Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Lord Elis-Thomas, said: “We are fully aware, not least from our hospitality stakeholder group, of the impact of the restrictions that we have had to bring in. This is not the Christmas period that any of us wanted but I would urge businesses to take advantage of the help available and to use the calculator to find out how much help they can expect to receive so they can plan accordingly.

“We will continue to do everything we can to support our firms and our people through to the other side of this dreadful pandemic.”

This latest in Welsh Government funding is in addition to other UK Government support, such as the Job Retention Scheme, making it the most generous business support offer in the UK.

Primary schools to close in Denbighshire

Following discussion with all of its schools, Denbighshire County Council has taken the decision to close all of its primary schools, special schools and pupil referral units from Wednesday (December 16) for face to face learning.

This follows the Welsh Government decision to move all secondary schools and colleges in Wales to online learning from Monday (December 14).

Cllr Huw Hilditch-Roberts, the Council’s Lead Member for Education, Children's Services and Public Engagement, said: “We have reluctantly taken the decision to close our primary schools for face to face learning early. Confirmed cases associated with Denbighshire schools continue to be in single figures owing to the hard work of pupils, parents and staff.

“With primary schools closing across North Wales, the Council felt it had no choice but to take the decision to provide continuity with other areas, giving parents and guardians sufficient notice to prepare and to further ensure the safety of children and staff in the run up to Christmas.

“Primary schools will remain open for vulnerable learners and the children of key workers until Friday, December 18.”

The Welsh Government announced the decision to move all secondary schools and colleges in Wales to online learning as part of a ‘national effort to reduce transmission of coronavirus’ following advice from Wales’s Chief Medical Officer.

Cllr Hilditch-Roberts added: “As we approach Christmas and the end of term I want to thank all pupils, staff and families for their support and their effort in the fight against COVID-19.  

“Primary schools, special schools, pupil referral units and secondary schools in the county will be arranging remote learning for pupils until December 18 and to echo the words of the Education Minister, this period is not an early Christmas holiday.

“Christmas is a time of great excitement and joy for our students but it is also a time when the temptation to stray from the strict rules we have been asked to follow may be higher than ever. It is important for everyone who has worked tirelessly to enjoy a happy Christmas holiday that we continue to observe the rules as I know so many of you have.

“I would again like to thank pupils, parents and staff for their support during what has been a hugely challenging term for all of our schools and the communities they support and work in.”

The final day of face to face learning for primary schools will be Wednesday, December 16 with remote learning for pupils taking place on December 17 and 18.

 

Latest Covid control plan to be published next week, says Drakeford

* First Minister Mark Drakeford.

An updated version of Wales’s covid control plan will be published next week, the First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced.

The plan sets out in detail how national measures will be introduced in a more uniform and predictable way, depending on a range of indicators, including the level of the virus in Wales and the risk of infection.

It updates the approach to changing restrictions set out in Leading Wales out of the Coronavirus Pandemic and Unlocking Our Society and Economy. 

And it aims to provide greater certainty for people and businesses about the restrictions, which are needed to protect people’s health and slow the spread of the virus.

Wales is currently at alert level three. The national measures were strengthened on December 4 in response to rapidly accelerating levels of coronavirus across Wales.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “This has been a truly challenging year. The impact of coronavirus on us all – on all aspects of our lives – cannot be underestimated. Like almost every country in the world, we have put restrictions in place to control the spread of this deadly virus.

“This updated plan shows how the national measures will be introduced in a more uniform way as we move through the pandemic, providing greater certainty for people and businesses.”

The updated plan has been informed by latest analysis from our scientific and medical experts and the UK’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE). It has also been informed by the experience in other parts of the UK.

The plan sets out four alert levels – from alert level one to alert level four:

• Alert level one (low-risk) – this represents the closest to normality we are likely to have before the summer and the widespread take-up of vaccinations.

• Alert level two (medium-risk) – additional, targeted controls are put in place to maintain infection rates at lower levels. These may be complemented by more targeted local restrictions to manage specific incidents and outbreaks.

• Alert level three (high-risk) – these are the strictest package of restrictions, short of a firebreak or lockdown.

• Alert level four (very high risk) – restrictions at this level are equivalent to a lockdown and reflect the seriousness of the situation.

The First Minister said that if the strengthened national measures, together with the efforts everyone is making, do not succeed in reducing the rates of coronavirus, Wales will need to move to alert level four after the five-day Christmas period. But this move is not a foregone conclusion.

He added: “The most important thing we can all do to control the spread of coronavirus is to reduce the number of people are in contact with. This virus thrives on human behaviour – whenever and wherever we come together and spend time together, the virus can be transmitted from person to person.”

The national measures will continue to be reviewed every three weeks, whatever alert level Wales is currently in.

MP congratulates team repairing historic rail bridge

* Simon Baynes MP, right, and Robert Gordon, chairman Llangollen Railway Trust, at the Dee Valley Bridge.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes made a visit to Llangollen Railway to learn more about how the team are progressing with repairs and renewal of the Dee Bridge.

To run trains over the bridge next year the railway has had to replace its worn-out timbers. 

New woodwork cost £15,000 and an appeal was launched in November by Llangollen Railway Trust to raise the required funds.

The appeal has proven a major success with members of the public and the trust together raising the entire amount.

During his visit Mr Baynes met trust chairman Robert Gordon who said: “I would like to thank everyone that has contributed to our appeal in helping to raise the money to enable these works to take place and also the volunteers and staff of Llangollen Railway who are undertaking these critical works to enable services to continue to run next year.”

Simon Baynes MP said: “Everyone at the Llangollen Railway Trust is doing an excellent job of carrying out the necessary repairs to run train services in 2021. 

"I was really impressed to hear more about their plans for the forthcoming year despite the challenges posed by Covid, with new services being planned for the restored Corwen station.”

Secondary schools and colleges to begin online learning from Monday

Secondary schools and colleges in Wales will move to online learning from Monday, December 14 as part of a national effort to reduce transmission of coronavirus, Education Minister Kirsty Williams confirmed today.

The Minister made it clear that, thanks to the efforts of education staff across the country, schools and colleges are "safe and secure environments", with almost half of all Welsh schools having had zero covid cases since September.

However, it is also recognised that education settings being open can contribute to wider social mixing outside the school and college environment.

By making this decision, the Minister felt it was important to make a ‘clear, national direction’ to take pressure off individual schools, colleges, local authorities, parents and carers.

The Minister said her decision followed expert advice from Wales’s Chief Medical Officer showing that the public health situation in Wales was deteriorating.

The latest TTP data shows that rates of Covid-19 have further increased across Wales and have now exceeded 370/100k with a test positivity of 17%.

The R rate in Wales has increased to 1.27 with a doubling time of just 11.7 days.

Education Minister Kirsty Williams said: “Every day, we are seeing more and more people admitted to hospital with coronavirus symptoms.

“The virus is putting our health service under significant and sustained pressure and it is important we all make a contribution to reduce its transmission.

“In his advice to me today, the CMO recommends that a move to online learning should be implemented for secondary school pupils as soon as is practicable.

“I can therefore confirm that a move to online learning should be implemented for secondary school pupils and college students from Monday next week.

“We recognise, as we did during the firebreak, that it is more difficult for primary and special school age children to undertake self-directed learning.

“That is why we are encouraging primary and special schools to continue to stay open.

“Having spoken to local education leaders, I am confident that schools and colleges have online learning provision in place.

“This will also be important in ensuring that students are at home during this time, learning and staying safe.

“Critically, and this is very important, children should be at home.

“This is not an early Christmas holiday, please do everything you can to minimise your contact with others.”

“The education family in Wales has pulled together so many times this year to make a real difference to the course of this virus and ultimately to save lives and I know we can do the same again.

“Together we will keep Wales safe.” 

Eviction protection extended for Covid-hit businesses

Retailers, pubs, restaurants and other businesses affected by coronavirus will now be protected  from eviction until the end of March 2021, Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales Ken Skates (pictured) has announced.

As part of the action Welsh Government is taking to support the business community from the impact of Covid-19 the moratorium against forfeiture for the non-payment of rent, which was due to end on 31 December, will now be extended until 31 March 2021.

While businesses should continue to pay rent wherever possible, the latest measure will ensure no business is forced out of its premises if it misses a payment between now and the end of March 2021. The move will help ease the burden on a range of sectors, including retail and hospitality, at what continues to be a time of immense challenge.

Since the start of the pandemic Welsh Government has put together the most generous package of support for business anywhere in the UK, worth nearly £2bn. This includes £340m that is available through the latest round of the Economic Resilience Fund to support businesses affected by restrictions that came into force on 4th December.

Ken Skates, said: “Despite all of our ongoing efforts to reduce the spread of coronavirus, instances of the virus remain worryingly high. We recognise that the ongoing restrictions and wider behaviour changes are putting significant pressure on many of our businesses and we are working hard to quickly support our businesses with the most generous support offer for business anywhere in the UK.

“As part of that package of support, I am pleased that we are also able to extend measures to prevent forfeiture for the non-payment of rent. This will protect many businesses from eviction and help to secure jobs, safeguard businesses and shield our economy over the critical months to come.

“We will continue to put pressure on the UK Government to provide further support as we progress towards a prosperous post-pandemic Wales.”

The Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government, Hannah Blythyn said: “Supporting Welsh businesses whilst balancing the need to protect our most vulnerable and stop the spread of the virus has not been an easy task. Ensuring retailers, pubs, restaurants and other businesses will be protected from eviction until the end of March 2021 is just one of the ways we helping our town centres to not just get by but come back better as they safely continue to trade during this challenging time.

“Giving our towns a sense of place is more important than ever, and in line with our Transforming Towns agenda we will continue to work collaboratively with partners to build sustainable town centres for the future where businesses can thrive.”