Llangollen Health Centre has this afternoon posted another update on Covid Vaccinations, which says:
The Welsh Government is urging businesses to ensure they are registered for financial support to help them deal with the ongoing impacts of coronavirus.
Last month, the Government announced an additional £200m package to help firms through to
the end of March. This takes the Welsh Government’s business support package
from the December to March period to £650m.
The financial
package is predominantly for businesses that pay non-domestic rates and have
been forced to close or operate differently as a result of coronavirus restrictions.
As businesses need
to have registered with their local authorities in October or later in order to
receive the payments, the Welsh Government is urging firms that have not yet
done so to take action now so they do not miss out.
Under the support
package, eligible businesses with a rates value of less than £12,000, such as a
small hairdressers or florists, would be entitled to receive £6,000 for the
December to March period.
Firms with a
rateable value below £150,000, for example a clothes shop, a restaurant or a
gym, would be entitled to £10,000 for the same period of time. The money is to
help cover costs like rent, utilities and insurance.
This funding is on
top of support from the Welsh Government’s £180m sector specific fund for
tourism, tourism and hospitality businesses which received more than 8,000
applications before closing, as planned, on 29 January. It is also in addition
to income support offered by the UK Government such as the Job Retention Scheme
and Self Employment Income Support Scheme.
Businesses that
have received a payment via their local authority since the firebreak in
October do not need to take further action.
However, the Welsh
Government estimates that there are thousands of eligible businesses that might
not yet have registered for this support.
Economy Minister
Ken Skates said: “Welsh Government support continues to be crucial in
protecting businesses and jobs throughout Wales.
“Since the
beginning of the pandemic, we have ensured more than £1.75 billion has reached
the banks accounts of businesses to help them deal with the ongoing economic
impact of coronavirus.
“Eligible firms
that pay non-domestic rates and have registered with their local authority
since the firebreak in October should receive further support automatically so
do not need to take further action. However, we know that too many firms have
not yet registered. I urge those business owners to take action now so they can
receive what they are entitled to.
“This money will
be absolutely vital in helping firms up and down the country through these
incredibly challenging times. We do not want any business to miss out or go
under because of inaction so if you pay non-domestic rates but have not
registered with your local authority since before the firebreak in October
please do so now.”
* Businesses who have not registered with their local authorities since the firebreak in October should visit the Business Wales website for more information on doing so - https://businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/restrictions-business-fund-local-authorities
Further Covid-19 testing for care home staff is beginning this week to help identify infectious individuals sooner and manage outbreaks more effectively, the Welsh Health Minister has announced.
The enhanced
testing programme will involve the twice weekly testing of asymptomatic care
home staff using rapid lateral flow test devices.
This is in addition
to the PCR tests, which are sent to a laboratory, currently undertaken by care
home staff as part of a package of measures for preventing transmission of
Covid-19 in care homes and protecting residents and staff which has been
operating since June 2020.
A £3 million
funding package has been agreed to support additional testing in care homes.
Health Minister Vaughan Gething said: “The protection of the most vulnerable people in our communities has been a priority during the Covid-19 virus outbreak.
“Care home staff,
local authorities and health protection teams continue to work tirelessly to
prevent the introduction and onward transmission of Covid-19 in our care
homes.
“While we are
making good progress with the roll-out of our vaccination programme, testing
remains pivotal in our response to the pandemic to help identify infectious
individuals within care homes sooner and manage outbreaks more effectively.”
Local health protection
teams will also be able to consider the introduction of daily testing for a
period of 10 days in care homes where there is an outbreak. This enhanced
testing is in line with the ‘test to safeguard’ priority described
in the refreshed Welsh Government Testing Strategy.
Lateral flow tests
produce results within 20 to 30 minutes allowing for positive individuals to be
identified and isolated much more quickly than through the current testing
process.
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Local councils across North Wales are set to receive more than
£1.4m of a £5.5m pot of additional funding to help them fund the increased
demand on the Welsh Government’s Council Tax Reduction Scheme. |
|
The Council Tax
Reduction Scheme has been providing support to hundreds of thousands of
households with their council tax bills since it was introduced almost eight
years ago. But with many more people facing reduced income or unemployment as
a result of Covid-19, the CTRS has received a significant increase in
applications. In the last
year the Welsh Government has provided local authorities with almost £11m in
additional funding to help them cater for the increased demand on the scheme
– providing a lifeline to households that are struggling to cope financially
during these difficult times. Finance Minister Rebecca Evans: “We are committed to providing a responsible and targeted approach to addressing the financial impact of the pandemic. “Whilst the coronavirus outbreak is affecting everyone, we
recognise the disproportionate impact it is having on some of the most
vulnerable people in our society. “The funding I am announcing today will provide local
authorities with the financial reassurances they need to continue supporting
those who need it most through our Council Tax Reduction Scheme. “I would encourage anyone who thinks they may be eligible for
help with their council tax bills to contact their council for advice.” Councillor Anthony Hunt, WLGA Spokesperson for Resources said: “This additional funding will be welcomed by local authorities in all parts of Wales to help hard pressed households with their council tax bills. Demand for this support had soared during the past year. “I would reiterate the words of the Finance Minister that any
resident worried about their council tax should get in touch with their local
authority." The Welsh
Government will shortly be publishing analysis on the impact Covid-19 has had
on the Council Tax Reduction Scheme. We are also continuing to work with the
Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) and local authorities to understand
the longer term effects of increased demand on the scheme and to assess the
extent of any decline in council tax collection on local authorities. |
Each day during lockdown the Llangollen Coronavirus Help Group started by Cat Meade and her friends has been providing lunch and dinner for 13 people who aren’t able to prepare food for themselves.
To keep this vital service going the group has raised
funds through regular raffles on its own Facebook page and there has also been
strong support from Llangollen Rotary Club and Llangollen Inner Wheel’s Moira
Gleed and Angela Jefferies along with Cat’s own mum.
Further support has come from local businesses Dee Pizza,
Kelly’s Chippy, Llangollen Pizza & Kebab and Simran Shah at Aydan’s
Tandoori.
Cat says that to keep the meals coming the group is still
in need of supplies such as drinks, pot noodles, porridge pots, crisps, snacks,
hot chocolate, tea, coffee and cups of soups.
She said: “If you would like to donate a bag of chips etc
from an eatery or supply goods, If you can help we have set up a drop off point
with Stephen Brady at Recollections Ltd on Abbey Road, next to the Bridge End. If
you have an extra portion of food we can use or freeze, or if you can donate a
£1 or anything you can via paypal at catmeade@hotmail.co.uk where I shop weekly
at Aldi for goods.”
* Cat has also taken to Facebook to say a big thank you to
her employers who have not only allowed her to use their office resources since
the pandemic began but have also contributed thousands of pounds towards the
work of the help group.
She posted: “As you all know I started this page along with Bethan Mascarenhas some 10 months ago.
“I have had a lot of help along the way from Admins to Volunteers, created Llangollen Raffles to fundraise and assist local businesses which has also bought a bit of fun to our community in the process.
“You may also know by now that I have a full-time job running the
Llangollen Wingetts branch for sales, lettings and commercial of which has been
a very demanding year.
“I am very lucky to have a job that I love but also that has remained in full swing during the pandemic for which I am extremely grateful.
“What you may not know that behind me I have two amazing directors in Emma Hayward and Leigh Hayward who own Wingetts.
“From day one I published our office number as a helpline, I published leaflets from the office printer, donated in our competition for NHS drawings which we displayed in our Llangollen office with £1,000 to Air Ambulance and gave prize to winner, staff have gifted donations and goods, supported local fundraisers and donated to all causes.
“I have always loved my job and proud to be part of the Wingetts family What you don’t see is that Wingetts as a business has contributed over £5,000 during these past 10 months to Llangollen and my fundraising appeals.
“We are family and we are #llangollenfamily we support one another. I just wanted to say a big thank you to Wingetts Ltd Wrexham & Llangollen for supporting me and Llangollen.”
* A number of potholes on the bridge have now been given attention.
The county said the pothole situation on Castle Street is to be kept under review after it carried out repairs to some of the cavities in the roadway.As a result a council spokesperson said an officer would be sent to inspect the holes to see if they were a safety hazard.
On Monday of this week llanblogger revealed how a number of the deepest holes had been filled in - sparking a flurry of comments about the quality of the repairs.
On Tuesday workmen were back to give attention to the remaining holes.
Possibly the deepest of all the holes on the bridge has now been filled along with a number of others further along the street.
A council spokesperson said yesterday: “Work has been carried out to make some repairs on Castle Street and we will continue to monitor the condition of the highway for any further safety works needed.”
llanblogger will also keep the situation under review.
Llangollen Health Centre has just put out its latest message about Covid vaccinations on social media.
It says: "Our team have been doing a sterling job contacting all our patients who are in the next two priority groups for the Covid vaccine - those aged 70 - 79 and those on the official shielding list.
"We have over 1,300 patients in these groups and so far we have contacted 969 patients. Thanks to the team for working so hard on this over the past few days.
