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Welcome to edition 130 of eFocus for the Whickham area. We are living through an unprecedented national crisis and we must all pull together for the sake of our local communities. Now is not the time for party politics. Your local Lib Dem Focus Team has suspended all party political campaigning and we are putting our efforts into keeping residents informed about key local issues to do with the coronavirus pandemic.

We will be stepping up the frequency of eFocus as the news changes rapidly. Please feel free to forward to others who may find the contents useful or post to social media.

Peter Maughan, Sonya Hawkins, Marilynn Ord, Peter Craig, Chris Ord, Jonathan Mohammed, Vicky Anderson, Jonathan Wallace
The latest information:
UK lockdown
As of 23rd March, people in Britain will be allowed to leave their homes for only “very limited purposes” - shopping for basic necessities; for one form of exercise a day; for any medical need; and to travel to and from work when “absolutely necessary”
  • People are warned not to meet friends or family members who they do not live with
  • Shopping is only permitted for essentials like food and medicine, and people are advised to do it “as little as you can”
  • Police have powers to enforce the rules, including through fines and dispersing gatherings
  • All shops selling non-essential goods, such as clothing and electronic stores, are ordered to close
  • Libraries, playgrounds, outdoor gyms and places of worship are to close
  • All gatherings of more than two people in public - excluding people you live with - are banned
  • All social events, including weddings and baptisms are banned
  • Funerals will continue to go ahead
  • Parks will remain open for exercise but gatherings will be dispersed
  • Restrictions “under constant review” and will be checked again in three weeks. They will be relaxed “if the evidence shows we are able to."
Help and advice
The current situation is causing a great deal of concern amongst residents. We want residents to know where to find the latest advice and help and have put together some useful links below.

For the latest NHS health guidance see here.

Your mental health is important. If you need help and advice visit Mind on this link.

For the latest from Gateshead Council, including service disruptions and handling household waste, see here.

For the latest on transport updates, including using buses and the Metro, see here.
Supermarkets opening hours
Many supermarkets have opening times for specific groups such as key NHS staff and the elderly, to help to ensure access to food and commodities for all. Below is a useful list of priority shopping times.
A plea to everyone

There is no need to panic buy. There is sufficient food and loo rolls in the supply system to satisfy normal demand. But if a few people panic buy, they clear the shelves of essential items and this leads to shortages which cause even more panic buying. Those most affected are the vulnerable and key NHS staff.

Our plea to all residents is: DO NOT PANIC BUY.
Council survey of coronavirus impact on businesses
Gateshead Council are aiming to contact as many businesses as possible to understand how coronavirus is impacting local firms and to make sure they are aware of support available to them. 

Businesses may receive a call from council officers directly but in the meantime, if you run a business in the borough, please complete this short survey from Gateshead Council.
Tell residents you are still trading
Do you run a local restaurant, cafe or food outlet and have a delivery or takeaway service? If you do, we are offering you the free opportunity to reach out to your local customers through our eFocus newsletter. Across Whickham, Sunniside, Swalwell, Dunston and Lobley Hill, 1200 households receive eFocus.

We want our great local businesses to survive but we understand the impact new restrictions are having on trade. So, if you run a food business and want to make use of our free offer to reach residents, reply to this email with a few details: the name and address of your business, and your phone number, website or email via which people can contact you to place orders. The government's latest restrictions on people leaving their home means your business will need to provide a delivery service.

If you run a local food shop, please send us your opening times so we can keep people informed about where and when they can shop for food.
Concessionary pass restrictions lifted

Nexus has lifted current restrictions preventing free travel in Tyne and Wear for some passengers before 9:30am. Senior citizens and people with some disabilities are entitled to free off-peak travel on buses with a concessionary pass or a discounted Metro Gold Card.

The decision was taken in response to a number of supermarkets dedicating their first trading hour to older people. The lifting or restrictions applies to buses, Metro and the Shields Ferry. 

This will hopefully give people more opportunity to travel when they need to without paying extra, but residents are reminded that Government advice is to only use public transport if the journey is absolutely essential.

Metro car parks reserved for NHS staff

Two of the biggest car parks on the Tyne and Wear Metro are now reserved for NHS staff. To help support those working for NHS Newcastle Hospitals Trust, all staff from the trust will be allowed to park at Four Lane Ends and Regent Centre car parks for free.

The move by Nexus, who own the car parks, frees up more than 650 parking spaces within easy reach of the trust’s main sites at the Royal Victoria Infirmary and Freeman Hospital by Metro and bus.

For other passengers, alternative parking is available at Northumberland Park, Kingston Park and Callerton Parkway Metro stations

No changes to bin collections
but garden waste service suspended
There are, as yet, no plans to change bin collections for recycling and household waste. Please continue to put out your wheelie bins on your normal collection days. After handling your bin, please wash your hands!

However, the garden waste collection, which was due to resume next week, has been suspended. The Council will aim to resume the service as soon as possible and residents will be notified accordingly. People who use the service have paid for 15 fortnightly collections and may not now receive them all. The Council will be looking at this issue once the current public health crisis has subsided and services have returned to normal.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital visiting ended
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital today (24th March) announced that all visiting has been suspended until further notice. This is to protect staff, patients and their families. The only exceptions are:
  • 1 birthing partner only during labour 
  • 2 people visiting the neonatal unit
  • End of life care where you can make arrangements with the ward staff
And now some other news
Work starts on Newcastle western by-pass upgrade
Work to upgrade the A1 to the west of Newcastle is now starting. The aim of the work is to add an extra lane along a five mile stretch of the existing dual carriageway between junction 74 at Scotswood, just north of the River Tyne, and junction 79 at North Brunton. This will be within the existing highway boundary and retain all existing bridges and structures.

On 2 March, work began on clearing vegetation along the relevant verges. This work takes place overnight Monday to Saturday 8pm to 6am. Construction work should be completed by 2022/23.

More information about the upgrade can be viewed on this link.
Plans to demolish derelict Whickham Club
Whickham Social Club Sept 19 (1)
Planning permission is being sought to demolish the derelict Whickham Social Club on School Street, Whickham and to build 14 apartments on the site.
House-building planned for Streetgate
Planning permission is being sought to build 21 houses on land to the rear of The Cottage, Gateshead Road, Streetgate. The plans involve the demolition of The Cottage and the boundary wall.
Sunniside takeaway is taken away
Plans to convert the house at 10 Dewhurst Terrace, Sunniside into a ground floor takeaway and first floor flat have been withdrawn. A petition opposing the plans was signed by 80 residents.
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