Corona Virus Updates
CHANGES TO COUNTY COUNCIL SERVICES FROM 5th NOVEMBER
A summary of impact on County Council services:
More information about services is available at https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/popular-now/affected-council-services
COVID-19 CASES
The latest data can be viewed here, national data and data for Leicestershire.
Comments from the Director of Public Health (Friday, 6th November)
The latest data would suggest that overall rates may stabilise in the next few days as rates decline markedly in the younger 17-21 age group but rise in older age groups. This is likely to be due to household transmission from younger people to their parents and then on to the parents of the parents. My fear has been that this would spread from household to household through social interaction. The national lockdown is helpful, given the position Leicestershire is in, to stem further increases and enable further targeted work to get Leicestershire in as good a position as possible for December 2nd. An increase in hospital admissions will be baked in to our data for the next weeks reflecting the increases in cases over the last few weeks.
Impact on Schools
REGULATIONS
General
New Regulations[1] published by the Government came into force on 5th November and will last for 28 days from that date. The previous Regulations relating to the Medium, High and Very High tiers have been revoked. The explanatory notes accompanying the Regulations indicate, however, that it is expected at the end of 28 days that the previous local alert levels will once again be brought into force.
Registration Services
Government guidance confirms that certain public services should remain open and this includes civil registration offices. Birth and death registrations will therefore continue, together with urgent notice of marriage appointments. However, weddings and civil partnership ceremonies are not permitted to take place except in ‘exceptional circumstances’. The General Register Office are expected to issue further advice on this. The Government guidance refers to the ‘exceptional circumstances’ as permitting weddings and civil partnerships where one of those getting married is seriously ill and not expected to recover. These weddings are limited to 6 people.
Coroners
The Coroner Service will continue with jury inquests moved from the existing courtroom to larger venues to achieve Covid-secure compliance.
Trading Standards
As with the first lockdown Regulations, there are powers relating to the closure of various non-essential businesses and hospitality venues. Trading Standards are already engaged in enforcement and have diverted resources to this new area of responsibility. The service will continue to engage with the police and the district councils to ensure enforcement remains consistent and proportionate, countywide.
It is expected that further Regulations will be issued imminently conferring additional enforcement powers to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
Local Authority Meetings
As before, there are restrictions on movement (leaving home without reasonable excuse) and gatherings subject to exceptions where leaving home or attending the gathering is ‘reasonably necessary’ for work purposes. The Regulations permitting remote meetings remain in force until May 2021 and mean that it will be difficult to demonstrate reasonable necessity in most cases.
A copy of the Regulations in full may be found here:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1200/regulation/1/made
[1] Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 4) Regulations 2020
A summary of impact on County Council services:
- The following sites are closed:
- Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre;
- 1620s House and Garden at Donington-le-Heath;
- Charnwood Museum;
- Melton Museum;
- Harborough Museum;
- The Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland.
- Where possible Museum and heritage events and activities will move online; interested parties are encouraged to check websites for details.
- Libraries will be closed, but will move to ‘click and collect’ services. To assist people who do not have a PC at home and can access a computer, Library members can book a one-hour slot at a workstation.
- The Beacon Hill Café and the 1485 Tithe Barn at Bosworth will move to a takeaway service.
- The Adult Education (GoLearn) service will continue to be delivered on site and additional online resources will be provided where learners are unable to attend their classes. The Library Service will continue to support access for adult learning.
- Birth and death registrations will continue. However, weddings and civil partnership ceremonies will only take place in exceptional circumstances.
- The County Council’s recycling and household waste sites will remain open if safe to do so, but the Council is encouraging people only to visit sites if essential. Visits are by appointment only.
More information about services is available at https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/popular-now/affected-council-services
COVID-19 CASES
The latest data can be viewed here, national data and data for Leicestershire.
Comments from the Director of Public Health (Friday, 6th November)
The latest data would suggest that overall rates may stabilise in the next few days as rates decline markedly in the younger 17-21 age group but rise in older age groups. This is likely to be due to household transmission from younger people to their parents and then on to the parents of the parents. My fear has been that this would spread from household to household through social interaction. The national lockdown is helpful, given the position Leicestershire is in, to stem further increases and enable further targeted work to get Leicestershire in as good a position as possible for December 2nd. An increase in hospital admissions will be baked in to our data for the next weeks reflecting the increases in cases over the last few weeks.
Impact on Schools
- Since the beginning of term there have been 524 cases across 170 schools reported to the County Council (354 children and 170 staff).
- At 5th November attendance across all schools was 87.4%. This includes Covid-related absence and children off school due to contact with a Covid case.
REGULATIONS
General
New Regulations[1] published by the Government came into force on 5th November and will last for 28 days from that date. The previous Regulations relating to the Medium, High and Very High tiers have been revoked. The explanatory notes accompanying the Regulations indicate, however, that it is expected at the end of 28 days that the previous local alert levels will once again be brought into force.
Registration Services
Government guidance confirms that certain public services should remain open and this includes civil registration offices. Birth and death registrations will therefore continue, together with urgent notice of marriage appointments. However, weddings and civil partnership ceremonies are not permitted to take place except in ‘exceptional circumstances’. The General Register Office are expected to issue further advice on this. The Government guidance refers to the ‘exceptional circumstances’ as permitting weddings and civil partnerships where one of those getting married is seriously ill and not expected to recover. These weddings are limited to 6 people.
Coroners
The Coroner Service will continue with jury inquests moved from the existing courtroom to larger venues to achieve Covid-secure compliance.
Trading Standards
As with the first lockdown Regulations, there are powers relating to the closure of various non-essential businesses and hospitality venues. Trading Standards are already engaged in enforcement and have diverted resources to this new area of responsibility. The service will continue to engage with the police and the district councils to ensure enforcement remains consistent and proportionate, countywide.
It is expected that further Regulations will be issued imminently conferring additional enforcement powers to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
Local Authority Meetings
As before, there are restrictions on movement (leaving home without reasonable excuse) and gatherings subject to exceptions where leaving home or attending the gathering is ‘reasonably necessary’ for work purposes. The Regulations permitting remote meetings remain in force until May 2021 and mean that it will be difficult to demonstrate reasonable necessity in most cases.
A copy of the Regulations in full may be found here:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1200/regulation/1/made
[1] Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 4) Regulations 2020
