Coronavirus York updates; 5th June 2020

No further deaths

For the fifth successive day there have been no further deaths at the York hospital

Small business grant payments start – businesses encouraged to apply

City of York Council is encouraging eligible businesses to apply now for the upgraded scheme small and micro grant scheme, which has been created to support local businesses.

Grants payments between £1000 and £10,000 will support small businesses, including those in shared offices and flexible work spaces, science parks and incubators, regular market traders without a business rates assessment, nurseries, B&Bs paying council tax instead of business rates, and charity properties which all missed out under previous schemes are also eligible.

Small business and childcare nurseries up to £10000

Micro business up to £5000

B&Bs and market traders who live in York up to £2,500

Self-employed with fixed property costs up to £1000

To apply, businesses must have been trading before 11 March 2020, have a rateable value or annual mortgage of below £51,000, and demonstrate both an ongoing fixed property cost and significant financial impact of the coronavirus. It is not available to any business eligible for any other government COVID grant.

Grant payments are being processed in batches, with the first batch set to land in businesses accounts on Friday 5 June. The council is also telling businesses that have applied not to worry if they don’t receive their payment advice this weekend – there will be further payments every Friday over the next four weeks.

Councillor Keith Aspden, Leader of City of York Council, said:

“I’m pleased to see that our local grants payments are already being paid to small and micro businesses across the city, in order to help them through this incredibly tough time.”

“York’s small and micro businesses are at the heart of our vibrant economy and I would urge businesses who are yet to apply, to get in touch and apply for the support as soon as possible. As restrictions are eased, more small and micro businesses are reopening, so we understand how important these cash injections can be.

“From the very beginning of this crisis, we have worked to ensure our local businesses received swift support from the Council, particularly those who did not meet the criteria for government support. I am pleased that City of York Council has been recognized as one of the fastest local authorities in the country to distribute grants and rates relief, totalling £33m so far.”

“We will continue to make the case to Government, with our partners, to lobby for further financial support to support all our businesses, particularly as we work to put in place the foundations of our economic recovery.”

Councillor Andrew Waller, executive member for the economy and strategic planning, said:

“Staff across the council have worked quickly to process grants, with payments landing in businesses bank accounts shortly after the announcement of the scheme.

“Considerable effort and resource has been deployed to carry out the required checks as quickly as possible, in order to get these payments to businesses who need them after falling through the cracks of government support.

“I’d encourage businesses to check the eligibility criteria for these grants and apply as soon as possible if they are able to do so. We are already seeing the positive affect they are having for businesses during this incredibly difficult period.

“Businesses can check eligibility and apply at www.york.gov.uk/COVIDMicroGrant.”

The council is using an additional £2.2m discretionary government fund to expand its own small and micros grant scheme, which has already supported over 3,000 local businesses affected by coronavirus.

The council acted quickly to distribute £110m of grants and rates relief to over 4000 York businesses, and created its own £1m grant scheme to support over 1000 more businesses, which did not qualify for government support.

Under the discretionary fund, local authorities have been given an additional 5% of the total value of grants already distributed in York, together with some government rules and outline guidance on which businesses should benefit. However, this means councils have to use local knowledge to decide how to fairly distribute the money, as to benefit as many businesses as possible in the city.

Companies that are in financial difficulties because they fall outside the Government set limits are asked to contact Make it York to discuss their options. They can email business@makeityork.comCOMMENT ON THIS PAGE

York Council celebrates all those caring for others

Carers: Unskilled Labour, Or Our Most Undervalued Resource?

In Carers Week (8-14 June) the council is inviting health and care services, schools, employers and businesses to celebrate and support the vital contribution by unpaid carers across the city.

This year in particular, tribute is paid to the enormous contribution made by unpaid carers during the coronavirus pandemic. They continue to play an essential role supporting friends and family who are older, disabled or seriously ill.

Where social distancing or shielding means that carers can’t do what they usually do, volunteers across the city have come forward. They have helped ensure that vital food supplies and medication are delivered, and that companionship and caring welfare calls continue to help keep people cared for and in contact with others.

Many people have found that during lockdown they have had to take on more caring responsibilities than usual. The council is encouraging them to contact the city’s Carer’s Centre to benefit from the support and advice it gives 01904 715490 or email enquiries@yorkcarerscentre.co.uk.

Cllr Carol Runciman, executive member for health and adult social care, said: “This Carers Week, we want to thank carers across the city more so than ever, for the amazing part they play in these extraordinary and challenging times.

“During this pandemic, so many people in York are caring for all parts of our community in new and different ways. We’ve been celebrating them and their work and making them more visible through our #YorkKind campaign. I thank them all.”

Carole Zagrovic at York Carers Centre, said: “We are delighted to be part of Carers Week to highlight the huge contribution unpaid carers make throughout our communities, often with little recognition or support for themselves.

“Making Caring Visible is about all of us taking some time to think about what unpaid carers do. That can range from a few hours to pick up prescriptions or help with shopping to providing personal care day and night to a child, husband or wife with complex and worsening health conditions.

“This is the one week when we as a society can show our appreciation of the challenges carers face, particularly through this difficult time, and to acknowledge and respect their value in our communities.”

Specially for Carers Week and with social distancing in mind, many individuals and organisations – including York’s Carers’ Centre – are hosting or getting involved with virtual activities, to help carers to connect to others and access advice and information. To find out more visit https://www.yorkcarerscentre.co.uk/2020/05/carers-week-2020/ or go to https://www.carersweek.org/get-involved/events-near-yo u .

For more information, support and advice please contact the Carers Centre on 01904 715490 or email enquiries@yorkcarerscentre.co.uk.

Coronavirus York updates; 3rd June 2020

Deaths and cases

There were no additional hospital coronavirus deaths reported today (Wednesday). That is the third successive day without any additional deaths.

Two more cases of coronavirus were confirmed in York yesterday (Tuesday). The total now stands at 459 – an infection rate of 218.7 cases per 100,000 people.

York Council to “evolve beyond Coronavirus response”

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The York Council has issued the following (largely impenetrable) statement

“Following the challenges posed by the Coronavirus pandemic, City of York Council has developed plans to set out how the organisation will adapt and evolve moving forward.

As part of the Council’s short-term recovery plan, the ‘corporate’ recovery of the council will see the continued reinstatement of services that have been affected by the pandemic. Some reinstated services are likely to include some changes, in order to allow for social distancing and ensure the safety of residents and council staff.

In addition to the reinstatement of services, the corporate recovery plan will detail how the council will continue to work with partners to lobby the Government for additional funding, respond to the challenges posed by the pandemic, and facilitate further investment in the city.

The council’s staff are its best asset in making this wide scale change happen, and to ensure staff are supported during this time, there will be an organisational development plan to support staff in new or amended operating models. This includes utilising more agile and flexible working arrangements, with the right technology to enable staff to do so.

Leader of City of York Council, Cllr Keith Aspden, said:

“The coronavirus pandemic has significantly affected how the council delivers services to residents and businesses. However, we are now in a position to look forward and consider how we can best evolve to continue providing crucial services to our communities, whilst ensuring the safety of residents and staff.”

“Of course, council staff will be key in making these changes happen and that is why we are working to deliver an organisational development plan to support them in these new, agile ways of working.”

“With the considerable funding challenges posed by the crisis, we will also look to maximise our influence to secure future investment in our city. The last few months have demonstrated how crucial local services have been to support residents during these difficult times, and the Government must recognise more funding is needed for Councils to continue providing this support.”

“Moving forward, our recovery plan will continue to prioritise resident involvement in our democratic process and we are currently developing our methods for further remote meetings.”

To help residents and businesses stay in touch with the latest developments, the council has developed regular newsletters. You can sign up at https://www.york.gov.uk/form/EmailUpdates“

First Bus announces app update to live-track bus capacity

Pleased to see that First buses have been able to take up the suggestion that we made a couple of weeks ago that the available capacity of buses should be via a smartphone App. Hopefully the same information will also be displayed on street screens before very long.

First says, “This week we will be launching an update to our mobile app that will enable customers across the UK to live track not only the location of their next bus but also its available capacity, as we continue to develop ways to help customers social distance on board our fleet.

First Bus will be the first major bus operator to roll out live capacity tracking. This reduces uncertainty for customers and allows them to make informed decisions about their essential journeys. Going live this week, the app update will show customers a bus icon on a map depicting the live location and available capacity of each vehicle in the vicinity. This new functionality will provide customers with the information they need as the bus approaches.

The innovation has been made possible by First Bus’s new passenger counting functionality, announced at the end of May. Data from this system feeds directly to the First Bus app in real time. This app update coincides with First Bus doubling the number of buses operating across England from Monday 1 June, with support from UK Government. First Bus expects to be able to increase service levels across its networks in Scotland and Wales in coming weeks.

With social distancing guidance being observed at the same time as lockdown restrictions are being relaxed, this additional capacity will allow customers to travel in comfort and safety. To further support social distancing, and in addition to passenger counting, seats on each bus are now clearly marked indicating where customers should sit.

First Bus continues to encourage cashless payments, and use of the First Bus App to purchase mTickets, to reduce the need for contact between customers and drivers.

Giles Fearnley, Managing Director of First Bus said “We are really proud to have been able to fast-track this technology to ensure safe, informed travel during these difficult times. Our buses provide an essential service for our customers and we are doing all we can to support them.”

This latest update from First Bus forms part of its ongoing work to improve the customer experience.

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N.B: The app update will be available from Apple and Android app stores during the first week of June 2020 Dependent on individual phone user settings, the app may automatically update or require the phone user to manually select to update to the latest version 4.7

The app update is available to all First Bus app users in the UK and any customers downloading the app for the first time after the update will automatically have the live tracking functionality

First Bus is one of the UK’s largest bus operators. Making journeys easier for our customers, we were the first national bus operator to accept contactless card payments across all of our services and our First Bus App is voted ‘best in class’ amongst UK bus operators. Our most recent investments are in new, state-of-the-art buses across our key networks. We work proactively with our local authority partners, making a positive impact on air quality, tackling congestion and improving customer experience. We also operate the Aircoach network in Ireland.

Police and Fire chiefs to answer questions at 1:00pm today

Leaders of North Yorkshire’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic will give an update on the work they are doing, and answer questions from residents and businesses.

North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan will lead the live update and will be joined by:

Chief Constable Lisa Winward – North Yorkshire Police
Chief Fire Officer Andrew Brodie – North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service

Members of the public are invited to watch the meeting from 1.00pm on Tuesday on YouTube and submit questions in advance by emailing info@northyorkshire-pfcc.gov.uk, posting on Twitter using the hashtag #NYscrutiny or commenting on Facebook. Not all questions will be able to be used, but they will inform the Commissioner’s questioning and the general discussion.

Watch live on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DO4QjG4hen4

Julia Mulligan has decided in these uncertain times that there should be a regular update on the Coronavirus response direct to residents and businesses, and this is the sixth of those broadcasts.

Previous meetings can be viewed on our website: https://www.northyorkshire-pfcc.gov.uk/coronavirus/cvupdate/

These updates replace the regular public accountability meetings which are an opportunity to ensure the police and fire service are performing as well as possible to keep North Yorkshire safe and feeling safe.

All are invited to find out more about the meeting and watch live at https://bit.ly/CV2June

Agenda:

Local Resilience Forum update
Police – operational response update
Fire – operational response update

One law for……

Perhaps the actions that have attracted the most criticism during lockdown nationally have been those where politicians and senior officials have been seen to break their own rules. Several have been forced to resign although, at least, one has famously not.

Not surprisingly the words and actions of their local counterparts are also now under increasing scrutiny. Tomorrow some schools will reopen while those that have carried on educating the children of Key Workers can expect an influx of additional pupils. Opinions are mixed about the timing of this move and, indeed, the return of more people to their workplaces.

MPs have returned to Westminster albeit in a “social distancing” respecting way.

So why have the City’s democratic institutions not been revived? Apart from a couple of anaemic virtual Q & A sessions, local leaders seem to have preferred to issue the occasional policy edict.

They have seemed reluctant to submit to scrutiny.

The Councils scrutiny and audit functions – led by opposition Councillors – have been ineffective for many years, with participants trying to score political points while exploring their own self interest obsessions.

Never has there been a greater need for challenge than now when residents have so many real concerns about what has happened and what might happen if a second wave of COVID infections hits the City. Other areas are already making preparations

It seems extraordinary that City bosses can order teachers and children back to the classroom while they themselves hide behind the safety of virtual reality meetings. While the need for full scale Council meetings may be small at the present time, there is an urgent requirement for all decisions to be preceded with good quality, informed reports. Residents should be able to hear the arguments for and against controversial decisions like the Bishopthorpe Road contraflow cycle lane.

Some Council services have actually improved during lockdown.

Street cleaning standards are high and pothole reports are being dealt with more quickly. This, though, has tended to highlight the awful state of many carriageways and paths – in itself the most likely reason (together with path obstructions) why many, who have taken up walking and cycling in their leisure times, may now return to their cars.

Some empty council houses have attracted dumping

There has also been an increase in the number of long term empty Council houses with some homes having become dumping grounds. The repair and re-letting service needs to get into gear. They can follow the lead of those estate agents who have successfully adapted to incorporate social distancing into their processes.

Whether some Councillors actually “get this” is unclear. They recently publish a letter saying that they estimated “that there would be over 700 (coronavirus) deaths in the City by October”.

So far there have been 126 deaths at York hospital, with a similar total in the local community.

If another 500 deaths are expected, why on earth are we relaxing the lockdown?

Coronavirus York updates; 22nd May 2020

New charges at Crematorium

The Council has agreed to change the fees that they charge at the crematorium. A report says, “

“The current full charge for cremations with a service is £895 – this charge was the 2019/20 charge frozen for 2020/21.

The charge was in place up to the closure of the chapels to mourners.

A decision was approved on 17th April 2020 for the ‘no service, cremation only’ fee of £550 to be used for the funerals where services were to be conducted outside the Crematorium.

Given that the reopening of the chapels comes with stricter constraints around social distancing and with shorter services of 20 minutes rather than 25 minutes, it is proposed that a lower than full price fee is approved.

This recommended price is £720 which is halfway between the two existing charges and reflects that the running of the services require additional staff and cleaning resources than a no service or outside service funeral

Deaths

There have been no further deaths reported at local hospitals. The total death toll for York and Scarborough therefore remains at 196.

Coronavirus York updates; 20th May 2020

Virtually an Archbishop

Bishop Stephen Geoffrey Cottrell, will be confirmed as the new Archbishop of York, the second most senior clerical position in the Church of England, on July 9, in a service broadcast entirely via video conference due to the Coronavirus restrictions. York Minster is currently closed, although virtual services are broadcast on most days.

Acomb hairdresser plans re-opening

Ali Barbers on Front Street is hoping to re-open on 4th July. They will sue an appointments only system.Staff expect to be working flat out with social distancing in place once it reopens its doors.

Test avaiable to determine whether you have had COVID 19

Public Health England had announced its backing for the test last week, and it was now available to order online at www.yorktest.com. The test uses a process developed by a York company and costs £89.

Deaths

TWO more patients with coronavirus have died at hospitals run by York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The fatalities take the total number of Covid-19 related deaths so far at York Hospital and Scarborough Hospital to 195. The trust said one of the patients died at York, taking the total number of deaths there to 117, and the other died at Scarborough Hospital, raising the total there to 78.

Coronavirus York updates; 19th May 2020

Poppleton CV testing results are still secret

The York Council’s Director of Public Health has said tonight that neither the Local Authority or the local NHS are being told what the results of the CV tests taking place at Poppleton have been. They do not know how many tests have proved to be positive. She blames the government for not sharing the information which is being gathered under contract by Deloitte

Deaths

3 more patients with coronavirus have died at York Hospital. The fatalities takes the total number of Covid-19 related deaths reported at the hospital to 116 so far. Another 77 such patients are reported to have died at Scarborough Hospital, taking the overall total of deaths at the York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to 193.

Coronavirus York updates; 13th May 2020

More Council Q & A on line

The Council has issued a media release saying, “Residents are invited to watch and interact with the council’s next live #AskTheLeaders coronavirus question and answer session on City of York Council’s Facebook page on Tuesday 19 May, 5-6pm.

In this, the council’s second live coronavirus question and answer session, special guest Carolyn Frank from the Federation for Small Business will be taking questions regarding support for businesses in the region amidst lockdown restrictions and looking ahead to restarting York’s economy after the crisis”.

Residents can interact with the session by either submitting questions in advance by emailing them to YourQuestions@york.gov.uk or commenting on the live video on Facebook where leaders will read out questions and respond.* Questions may be answered by theme rather than individually so that the conversation covers as many topics as possible.

New regulations prompt lifestyle reboot?

The revised lock-down restrictions introduced from today do seem to have had an impact.

The rural roads in west York are noticeably busier.

The Pike Hills golf course car was full at lunchtime although most players seemed to be moving around as singles

Deaths

FIVE more people with coronavirus have died at hospitals within the York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The further five deaths takes the total within the trust to 185.

Care home deaths from the virus were 62 per cent of all deaths from the virus in York in the week ending May 1. In total, 31 people died from the virus up to May 1 in York care homes.

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