• Peterborough – 371 confirmed cases
• Cambridgeshire – 1,056 confirmed cases

Where to get medical help over the May Bank Holiday Unlike the earlier bank holidays in April and May, GP practices will not be open on Monday 25 May, but a wide range of NHS services will be available including NHS 111, Ely Minor Injury Unit and local pharmacies. Find out what is available locally at https://bit.ly/CPCCGMayBankHoliday

Only a few community pharmacies will be open on bank holiday Monday to manage emergency prescriptions. To find out where a community pharmacy may be open near you visit the NHS website HERE

• If you think you have symptoms of Coronavirus visit www.111.nhs.uk/covid-19 Do not go to a GP, pharmacy or hospital. If you are unable to manage your Coronavirus symptoms, have been instructed to do so or do not have access to the internet, then please call NHS 111.
• For the latest information and advice visit  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Testing or Swabbing for COVID-19 Testing is now available to any member of the public over the age of 5 with symptoms by visiting nhs.uk/coronavirus Please note, all tests must be booked in advance.

New portal for care home testing The Government has launched a new online portal which makes it easier for care homes to arrange deliveries of coronavirus test kits. All symptomatic and asymptomatic care home staff and residents in England are now eligible for testing. Care homes that look after the over 65s will be prioritised for testing. You can find out more about the new online portal here.

Mental Health Awareness Week ends this Sunday (24 May) The theme is kindness, especially random acts of kindness – calling a friend you haven’t spoken to for a while, writing a letter to someone you miss, donating to your local food bank, arranging a video lunch break with a colleague. Why not join in and do a random act of kindness? If you’re not sure where to begin, then check out this page https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/coronavirus/random-acts-kindness

Support is still available for anyone with a drink or drug problem If you need help your GP is a good place to start. They can discuss your problems with you and get you into treatment. You can call your GP practice as usual for an appointment. There is also help available through the organisations here

Law change around Organ Donation The law around organ donation changed on Wednesday 20 May, which means consent will be presumed and you will need to opt out if you wish not to be a donor. You still have a choice, and families will continue to be involved in the process https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/uk-laws/organ-donation-law-in-england/

Don’t delay seeking medical treatment NHS organisations are still open to provide urgent medical treatment and support healthcare concerns. The number of people going to Emergency Departments, Minor Injury and Urgent Treatment Centres has significantly reduced compared to last year, and clinicians are concerned that some patients are not seeking the urgent and emergency help they need for important conditions such as strokes, heart attacks, meningitis, sepsis and cancer.

Many GPs are also finding that fewer people are contacting them to flag early signs of cancer, which would need urgent investigations to take place, or to report deterioration in their long-term conditions, both physical and mental. You can still speak to your GP by phone or online. If they decide you need to be seen in person, you will be offered a face-to-face appointment in a safe environment. If you are not sure where to go for medical support, visit https://111.nhs.uk/ in the first instance.

Dental services If you think you need urgent dental treatment, call your dentist. If you cannot contact your dentist, or you do not have one, use the NHS 111 online service. if a clinical appointment is necessary, this will be arranged at an urgent dental care centre.

Maternity services Coronavirus advice and guidance for pregnant and postnatal women is available here.

Visiting patients in hospital Please be aware of the changes to the visiting policies at all three local hospitals.

• Peterborough City Hospital and Hinchingbrooke Hospital’s visiting policy
• The Rosie Hospital (Addenbrooke’s) visiting policy

East Cambridgeshire District Council has tonight (21 May) unanimously supported a Liberal Democrat proposal to establish a cross-party working group to move forward the district’s recovery from the covid-19 pandemic.

Cllr Charlotte Cane (Bottisham), who proposed the motion, said: “Our district faces a number of challenges as we hope to move out of lockdown and into economic recovery. But there are also opportunities, to build on the wonderful community spirit that has emerged, to encourage more sustainable modes of transport, and to rebuild our economy in a way that helps to address the threat of climate change.

“The working party we have successfully proposed will help achieve this important task.”

Cllr Mark Inskip (Sutton), who seconded the motion, said: “Communities and parish councils have stepped forward in ways we could not have imagined to support vulnerable residents. The district council now needs to work with these volunteers, and with local businesses, to shape our area’s recovery. Our proposed working party will be a key part of this.”

The Liberal Democrats’ motion passed unanimously with minor amendments and cross-party support.

The Liberal Democrats are at the forefront of a cross party call to protect pubs in the face of the “unique combination of challenges” created by the Covid-19 crisis. 

Liberal Democrat MP Daisy Cooper, alongside MPs from the Tory, Labour, SNP, Plaid Cymru and Green parties, are calling for Ministers to ensure pubs – a “cornerstone of British culture” – are in a position to reopen once social distancing measures are eased.

The group have written to the Chancellor to demand bespoke support for the industry including calls to: 

• Scrap the £51,000 Rateable Value cap for pubs, allowing pubs to access the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund.
• Stop pubco landlords from charging rent to their tenants through the crisis.
• Extend the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for the hospitality sector for the duration of social distancing measures and adopt a tailored approach to taper down the scheme in line with the ability of pubs to re-open on a viable basis.

Daisy Cooper, Liberal Democrat MP for St Albans, said: “Pubs are an iconic part of our social and economic fabric. They are the hub of many communities and play a key role in the wider economy, employing nearly half a million people directly and supporting so many other jobs – not least in brewing and entertainment. 

“Right now, many pubs are saddled with enormous rents, payable despite the fact that their doors are closed. On top of this, many are unable to access Government grants because they’re based on the broken business rates system. They are on a financial precipice. 

“The Chancellor must take radical action to prevent beloved pubs from permanently closing their doors. He must scrap the unfair rates cap that prevents so many pubs from accessing vital funds, and prevent pubco landlords from charging exorbitant rates to their tenants whilst they are unable to open their premises. 

“Longer term, we are calling for wholesale reform of the broken business rates system, which has been exposed as completely unfit for purpose.  

“Ministers must act urgently to support UK pubs through the COVID crisis, or risk leaving a gaping hole in communities across the UK and the loss of a wonderful part of our heritage.”

Tom Stainer, Chief Executive at CAMRA said: “We welcome this letter, which highlights vital issues facing pubs during the Covid-19 lockdown. It has been estimated that up 19,000 pubs are now at risk of permanent closure as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, which also means that jobs are on the line, and consumers stand to lose out on the social and wellbeing benefits of pub going.

“Up to 20 per cent of pubs may not be eligible for grant support due to their high rateable value – but that doesn’t mean they are better able than smaller pubs to weather this storm, so it’s imperative that the grant scheme is extended to offer them support.

“CAMRA has also called for pub companies to cancel rent for tenants and is seeking assurances that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will be available to pubs and brewers until the end of social distancing measures. We’re delighted to see MPs doing the same and applaud their efforts – hopefully, the Government will listen.”

The following planning application in the Sutton division has been published by East Cambridgeshire District Council.

20/00577/OUT
Witcham
15 Martins Lane Witcham CB6 2LB
Outline planning application (all matters reserved except access) for the erection of one bungalow with a new access from Martins Lane.

Further information can be found on the district council’s planning pages. If you would like to respond formally to the council about any planning application, comments should be addressed to the district council and not to me.  Comments may be made

• online using the council’s public access web page (the link above);
• by email to plservices@eastcambs.gov.uk;
• or by post to the Planning Department, The Grange, Nutholt Lane, Ely, CB7 4EE.

The following planning application in the Sutton division has been published by East Cambridgeshire District Council.

20/00558/FUL
Witcham
The Chapel 6 Silver Street Witcham
Single storey side extension, alterations to front landscaping and dropped kerb.

Further information can be found on the district council’s planning pages. If you would like to respond formally to the council about any planning application, comments should be addressed to the district council and not to me.  Comments may be made

• online using the council’s public access web page (the link above);
• by email to plservices@eastcambs.gov.uk;
• or by post to the Planning Department, The Grange, Nutholt Lane, Ely, CB7 4EE.

As a local councillor I’ve signed the cross-party letter to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson MP asking for:

• assurances that all families with children eligible for free school meals will receive vouchers for the full period of school closure, including school holidays. This may need to be in retrospect for families who have not yet been able to access their vouchers;
• assurances that families eligible for free school meals will be given food vouchers to sustain them during the summer holidays;
• the Government to continue to work with local authorities and schools to ensure vulnerable children do not ‘slip through the net’ and the necessary financial support is available to councils to support families fleeing domestic violence;
• schools only to be reopened when it is safe to do so, for both teachers and students;
• local authorities be given a role in coordinating with schools, trade unions and the Department for Education on a safe end to school closures.

The text of the letter is here for information, but is for signature only by councillors with gov.uk addresses https://actionnetwork.org/forms/local-councillors-letter-to-gavin-williamson-mp

The NHS has identified groups of people considered to be at extremely high risk of severe illness if they catch coronavirus, and who therefore need to strictly follow ‘shielding’ measures.

Either the NHS or the County Council’s Co-ordination Hub have contacted the majority of those identified on the ‘shielding’ list to check what support they need to do this.

But there are still around 3,500 people in Cambridgeshire or Peterborough who haven’t responded fully to either phone or written contact – although there has been some contact with them.

If you are one of these, do remember you can contact the County Council’s Co-ordination Hub online here.

With the weather set to be warm and sunny for most of the weekend, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is reminding people to follow the government’s advice to stay home, while also keeping fire safe.

Read more here.

Papers for the examination of the joint Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Minerals & Waste Local Plan are now published on the council’s Examination Page.

The Inspector who will examine the Plan is Stephen Normington BSc DipTP MRICS MRTPI FIQ FIHE.

The current assumption is that this will take place on Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 September in the Conference Room at Peterborough City Council Offices, Sand Martin House, Bittern Way, Fletton Quays, Peterborough PE2 8TY. Sitting times are assumed to be 10.00-12.30 and 13.30-17.00 (Tuesday) and 10.00-13.00 and 14.00-17.00 (Wednesday).

Plans are being put in place with the hope of reopening all nine of Cambridgeshire’s Household Recycling Centres from next Monday 11 May.

The focus will be on safety for residents and staff, including social distancing, and the plans have been put together with Public Health England. Each recycling centre will have a detailed traffic management plan, drawn up with Skanska and in consultation with the police.

Further details will be provided later this week about what items each centre will take. Some of the key conditions of opening will include:

• A limit to vehicle numbers on site, like the limits on customers in supermarkets
• No more than two adults to be allowed to unload any one vehicle
• No staff assistance to unload vehicles
• No vans or trailers that require a permit.

It is advised that journeys to Household Recycling Centres should only be undertaken if waste or recycling cannot be stored at home without risking injury or harm.

People must not visit the recycling centres if they are suffering from Covid-19 symptoms, have anyone in their household suffering the symptoms, or have been diagnosed as having the virus.