- Changes to lockdown restrictions on 12 April
- Free COVID-19 tests
- Support for residents as shielding stops
- Community Renewal Fund
- Business Restart Grants
- Reopening High Streets Safely Fund update
- Free parking
- Post lockdown webinars for event organisers
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- Supporting residents to vote in the May 2021 elections
- First instalment of 2021/22 precept and Council Tax Support grant payments
- UK Protect update
- Proud to Care Cornwall
- Family Based Short Break care
- Important support
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Changes to lockdown restrictions on 12 April
The rules about what we can do are changing as the Government confirms the next step in the roadmap can take place from Monday 12 April. This will be the biggest lifting of restrictions so far.
While our freedoms increase, it’s vital that we keep up with the things that keep us all safe. You must continue to wear a face covering in enclosed public places like shops (unless you are medically exempt), wash your hands often for 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser, and keep 2 metres apart from anyone you don’t live with even when you are socialising. Take up the vaccine when offered and please get a test and self-isolate if you have symptoms.
In brief, from 12 April the rules allow:
- Rule of six or two households meeting outdoors only (unless you are in a support bubble which can meet indoors).
- Reopening of non-essential retail
- Reopening of personal care premises
- Indoor gyms sessions for individuals or households (but not mixed groups)
- Reopening outdoor attractions such as zoos, theme parks or drive in cinemas
- Hospitality venues can provide food and drink outdoors
- You can stay away from home overnight in self-contained accommodation or a hotel with your household
There’s also a poster about the rules you can download and share. For more information, see www.gov.uk/coronavirus.
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Free COVID-19 tests
Everyone in Cornwall is being urged to take a Covid-19 test at home twice a week to help stop the spread of the virus.
Until now, the rapid-result lateral flow tests (LFTs) have only been offered to frontline and essential workers who can’t work from home, as well as schoolchildren and their families.
But from Friday April 9, they are being made available to every adult in the country who is over the age of 18 and not showing any symptoms of coronavirus.
The test kits are easy to use and require people to simply swab their nose and throat and then wait 20 to 30 minutes for a result, which they register with NHS Test and Trace through an app or website.
One in three people with the virus show no symptoms meaning they go about their daily lives unaware they are spreading it. These rapid tests help identify asymptomatic cases so they can self-isolate and stop the spread.
There are a number of ways people can access rapid testing:
Anyone who tests positive with an LFT must self-isolate immediately and arrange to have a confirmatory PCR test by visiting www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or calling 119.
The more people who get into the habit of testing twice a week, the quicker we can ease our way out of lockdown.
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Support for residents as shielding stops
Cornwall Council is reminding clinically extremely vulnerable residents that wellbeing and mental health support is available to help them get back out into the community now that the Government has advised that they can stop shielding.
Those coming out of shielding should follow the current rules under the Government’s roadmap for lifting lockdown restrictions, but they should take extra precautions to protect themselves from COVID-19.
Find out about help with food, wellness, mental health and more for vulnerable residents on Cornwall Council’s website.
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Community Renewal Fund
Applications are now open for the UK Community Renewal Fund, providing grants for organisations with projects that will help Cornwall’s communities to thrive and make the most of digital connectivity.
Cornwall Council will host a webinar at 10am on Monday 19 April to provide more information and answer questions about the fund. Anyone interested in attending can register at economicdevelopment@cornwall.gov.uk.
Organisations have until Friday 7 May to submit their applications. Projects must demonstrate that they support either ‘town centre, rural and coastal vitality’ or ‘reducing the digital divide’.
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Business Restart Grants
Cornish businesses eligible for the Government’s Restart Grant will begin to receive their payments from Monday 12 April.
The Restart Grant is a one-off grant to support eligible rate-paying businesses in reopening safely as coronavirus restrictions are lifted. Cornwall Council is making payments within a week of receiving the funding from Government.
Where possible, the Council will make automatic payments to eligible businesses – those who have already received a Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG) will not need to apply.
Businesses which believe they may be eligible for a payment, but have not applied to the LRSG scheme, can complete an application form.
The Restart Grant will be distributed in two strands based on the rateable value of a business:
- Up to £6,000 for businesses in the non-essential retail sector
- Up to £18,000 for businesses in the hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym sector
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Reopening High Streets Safely Fund update
A lot of work is being done behind the scenes so that our high streets can fully re-open safely on Monday 12 April.
As part of this, town and parish councils that have applied for support from the Reopening High Streets Safely Fund (RHSSF), funded by the European Regional Development Fund, will next week receive updated A3/A4 Foamex and vinyl signs for display on their high street. These are to replace those supplied in February. They are an eye-catching reminder about social distancing, hand washing and the use of face coverings. Electronic pdf versions of this poster will also be available via your community link officer (CLO) so everyone who wants can share this important message and print copies for display in local neighbourhood shopping areas.
Keep an ear and eye out also for the RHSSF ads on Pirate FM, in regional newspapers and on the back of buses.
The popular stilt-walkers that visited RHSSF towns before Christmas will be back performing on their high streets on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 15 April and 26 June. If your RHSSF town or parish has a particular date in this timeframe when it would like to have the stilt-walkers visit, please email liz.sheridan@cornwall.gov.uk or your CLO as soon as possible so we can try to accommodate it.
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Free parking
Cornwall Council car parks will remain free of charge until 17 May to support high streets as they get back to business after lockdown rules are relaxed on 12 April.
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Post lockdown webinars for event organisers
Cornwall Council’s Safety Advisory Group is holding two webinars this month for event organisers on maintaining public safety as lockdown eases and there are more opportunities to hold events. Each session will provide an overview of the latest advice from Government plus advice and guidance available to event organisers on the Cornwall Council website.
The webinars will be on:
- Wednesday 14 April at 3pm – Post lockdown webinar for small event organisers such as community events, fetes, and small group meetings. Book your place on Eventbrite.
- Wednesday 21 April 3pm – Post lockdown webinar for larger event organisers such as town markets, small concerts, and sporting events. Sign up on Eventbrite.
If you have any questions that you want to put to the team prior to the webinar, please email them to eventplanning@cornwall.gov.uk.
You can access the latest guidance from Government relating to organised events via these links:
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Supporting residents to vote in the May 2021 elections
On Thursday 6 May elections will be held for Cornwall Council, town and parish councils, and the Devon and Cornwall Police Crime Commissioner.
It’s really important to support vulnerable people within our communities to ensure they have the help they need to exercise their right to vote. To do this, Cornwall Council has developed some guidance for care providers.
The guidance includes all the information they need to know to support the people they care for:
- How to register to vote
- Voting by post
- Voting by proxy
- Voting in person
Please help us share this important information with care providers in your community.
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First instalment of 2021/22 precept and Council Tax Support grant payments
Cornwall Council has now made the first instalment of 2021/22 precept and Council Tax Support grant payments to town and parish councils. If your council has not received its first instalment of either by Thursday 15 April, and Cornwall Council has not already been in contact with you regarding this, please email corporatefinance@cornwall.gov.uk.
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UK Protect update
Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters is encouraging everyone involved in reopening our high streets to keep security front of mind – helping to protect staff and customers not just from COVID, but terrorism too. You can download the latest UK Protect update, which includes crowded places advice, access to a free Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) Awareness e-learning course, and more.
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Proud to Care Cornwall
Can you help promote the many and varied employment opportunities available across social care and health in Cornwall?
Workers in this sector do an incredible job providing support to the residents most in need in our communities and Cornwall Council is encouraging more people to join them.
Cornwall Council, social care providers and health organisations in Cornwall have come together under the Proud to Care Cornwall banner to promote the opportunities available.
People who are unsure about which care role might be best for them can call the Care Recruitment Triage Team on 01872 229977 and speak to someone currently working in the sector to find out more. All jobs are advertised on Proud to Care Cornwall website.
Please use your social media channels to help promote careers in social care and health by liking and sharing posts on:
By promoting the opportunities, you’ll be helping people in your community to secure employment and helping provide care and support to those who need it.
Join us in being Proud to Care in Cornwall.
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Family Based Short Break care
Cornwall Council is looking for more people to provide Family Based Short Break care for disabled children and young people, giving them the opportunity to have fun, learn and develop in a homely environment while giving their families a break from their caring role. Please tell people in your area about the scheme.
Family Based Short Break carers can choose how much time they can devote to caring. It could be a few hours a day, or even a weekend, to fit around their lifestyle. Carers will receive training and an allowance for any time they can offer, as well as support from the Council’s dedicated social workers.
To find out more about Family Based Short Break care, please call Helen Sinclair on 07583 260217, visit Cornwall Council’s fostering web pages or ring the Council’s recruitment team on 01872 323638.
All short break care is subject to rigorous COVID safety checks and precautions which the team can explain during the application process.
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Important support
For vaccine questions, please email nhskernowccg.ciosc19vaccine@nhs.net or visit the NHS Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group’s website.
Please send all other coronavirus related enquiries or issues to Cornwall Council’s dedicated email address covid19@cornwall.gov.uk. Residents can also ring 0300 1231 118 for any COVID-19 related queries.
You can see the latest COVID-19 data for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly on Cornwall Council’s website.
Cornwall Council has a dedicated telephone line 0300 1234 334 specifically for residents who are in the clinically extremely vulnerable group.
Find out more about Cornwall Association of Local Councils at www.cornwallalc.org.uk or email enquiries@cornwallalc.org.uk.
Anyone who needs help can request a volunteer by ringing Volunteer Cornwall on 01872 266988 or emailing requestforhelp@volunteercornwall.org.uk.
Community volunteers can register with Volunteer Cornwall on their website or by emailing mid@volunteercornwall.org.uk. Volunteer Cornwall will match people who ring up needing help with the community volunteers in their local area – or, if they have more complex needs, with specialist services.
Support for those living with domestic abuse is available from Safer Futures. People can make a referral online, email saferfutures@firstlight.org.uk or ring 0300 777 4777. There is also refuge and support via the Cornwall Refuge Trust website and their 24 hour helpline 01872 225629.
There’s information about support for those facing hardship or redundancy, including help with food, benefits and council tax, on the Do you need a helping hand? page on Cornwall Council’s website.
Find out more about the support available for businesses here: Support for businesses and Growth Hub.
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