DAILY EMERGENCY COVID-19 NEWS
... Important Daily Notices ...

AS This page is to place quick update important notices that are being sent to us from Government and other organisations over the Coronavirus Emergency affecting our country (UK)...   Please remember that the information changes quickly, so always check to see what time and when the last post was made.  We will update as and when we can....  Users of our Formby Reporter's Free Email Service will get most updates 1st and then they will be added on here as soon as we can...  If you have any updates to send in or any views on the posts on here, please email us to:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com.

This page is updated on 3 April 2020

Almost ₤400 million to keep England's buses running

ENGLAND'S buses will continue to serve those who rely on them thanks to a funding boost totalling ₤397m for vital bus operators, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced on 3 April 2020.

The package, agreed jointly with the bus industry, will keep key routes running to provide a lifeline for those who cannot work from home, including those travelling to jobs on the frontline of the UK's fight against Covid-19, such as NHS staff.
New funding of up to ₤167 million will be paid over 12 weeks under the new Covid-19 Bus Services Support Grant. As a condition of the funding, bus operators will be required to maintain necessary services at a level which is sufficient to meet much reduced demand, but also to allow adequate space between passengers on board. This is expected to be up to 50 % of normal service levels.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:- "We have been very clear during the outbreak that the best way to stop the spread of the virus and protect the NHS, is to stay at home if possible. Our buses are a lifeline for people who need to travel for work or to buy food; including our emergency services and NHS staff and it's absolutely vital we do all we can to keep the sector running. This multi million pound investment will protect crucial local transport links across England, bolstering the sector and minimising disruption for passengers in the long term." 

Operators will also be required to keep passengers properly informed about revised timetables to ensure that people know which services are running and when.

The Government has also promised that ₤200 million of existing funding under the Bus Services Operators Grant will continue to be paid as normal even though not all services may run during this time. This funding is usually paid according to fuel consumption, and so the Government's commitment to pay this on pre-Covid-19 levels will help ensure that bus companies are able to benefit despite fewer fare paying passengers travelling.

This is in addition to up to ₤30 million of extra Government bus funding, originally earmarked for starting new services, which will instead be paid to local authorities to maintain existing services.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, said:- "It's vital people protect our NHS by staying at home during the outbreak, but we also need to ensure that Doctors, Nurses and other key workers, can travel to and from their jobs.This funding will provide a lifeline for those on the frontline as well as those who cannot work from home."

Councils have also been encouraged to maintain their existing subsidies for concessionary fares to ensure that older and disabled people can still travel when they need to, for example to reach the shops, Hospitals and Doctors' Surgeries.

CPT Chief Executive Graham Vidler said:- "Bus operators of all sizes across the country are providing an essential service at a time of national emergency, and we thank the thousands of staff doing an incredible job to keep routes running. This funding is designed to plug the gap between the costs of running essential routes and revenue currently being received, and will help the country through the outbreak by allowing critical journeys to continue.  We're pleased the Government is working with us to ensure essential bus journeys can continue and will work closely with them to ensure the network remains viable."

This is the latest step in a string of urgent measures being taken forward by Government to support vital public services, including emergency measures to sustain rail services as operators manage the impacts of Covid-19, and support for crucial links to different parts of the UK.

Please stay at home and save lives this weekend!

WITH warm weather expected over the weekend and temperatures in some areas set to hit highs of 20C, councils are urging residents to continue following the Government's guidelines on social distancing.

Unless essential travel is required, households should continue to follow the Government's advice and guidance to remain at home and help to minimise the risk of spreading Coronavirus.

The Local Government Association, which represents councils across England and Wales, says it is vital that people avoid taking any unnecessary risks with the nation playing a vital role in fighting this deadly disease.

The LGA is also reminding residents looking to spring clean their homes or do some gardening, that local recycling centres are closed as part of social distancing requirements and staff absences due to social isolation or sickness.
People are reminded:-

• Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home) and should stay more than 2 metres from others.

• You can also go for a walk or exercise outdoors close to home once a day, but must observe the 2 metre rule when doing so.

• Wash your hands as soon as you get home.

• Do not meet others who are not in your household, including friends and family.

Cllr James Jamieson, LGA Chairman, said:- "With warm weather forecast for the weekend, I like many others will be looking forward to some fresh air. I understand families might be tempted to go out and enjoy the sunshine, whether that's a trip to the coast or seaside, or a picnic in a beauty spot or country park. But the Government's guidance is clear; you shouldn't go out unless it is necessary and for essential travel or once daily exercise. We know that the vast majority of people have followed the advice and stayed safe and stayed at home. By simply remaining at home, we can save lives and reduce the pressure on our incredible health and social care workers."

Free Professional Counsel Support for Businesses in Sefton

THE group InvestSefton who are the enterprise, business support and inward investment service of Sefton Council, have been notified that the Liverpool City Region Growth Platform is now able to offer the following service:- 'FREE Professional Counsel Support for Businesses' that can be accessed online.  They will be able to offer advice on a wide range of areas including:-

► Business Continuity Planning.

► Support for Leadership.

► Financial and Legal Advice.

InvestSefton also have a dedicated COVID 19 page which is regularly updated.

Victims of crime reassured support is still available throughout Coronavirus outbreak

MERSEYSIDE'S Police Commissioner is reassuring victims and survivors of crime that vital support services, commissioned through her office, are still available throughout the Coronavirus outbreak.

Jane Kennedy is working with Merseyside Police and the charities which deliver the Victim Care Merseyside services to maintain the highest level of service possible during this challenging time.

Her team are in regular contact with all the Victim Care Merseyside services, including specialist sexual violence and child exploitation services, to offer help and guidance on how to best put in place contingency arrangements and adapt services to address demand. In some case, extra financial support is being offered.

While communities across Merseyside stay at home to save lives, staff providing services to victims of crime across Merseyside are working remotely to ensure victims continue to receive the support they need.

Although most face to face support in people's homes and community settings has had to be suspended in line with the current stringent public health regulations, advice lines and websites continue to operate as usual with Skype counselling also an option for those most in need.

Jane said:- "I would like to reassure people across Merseyside that we are still here and ready to support you and that the Victim Care Merseyside services are still open and on hand to offer care, guidance and help as usual, despite being delivered differently. While the Coronavirus outbreak has had an impact on us all, for anyone who has been a victim of crime, this may be a particularly anxious time and you may feel even more frightened or isolated than usual. For anyone who has experienced crime there is someone here to help. We are doing everything we can to ensure critical support and advice continues to be provided to those who need it most throughout this crisis. If you or someone you know has been a victim, you can find a wealth of free information and advice on the Victim Care Merseyside website.  On this website, you can also find a directory of services who are on hand to offer further guidance and support. You can search these organisations by the type of crime you have experienced or by geographical area, so you can find the very best placed service to help you cope and recover from your experience."

The key Victim Care Merseyside services running as normal, with a few changes made to keep staff and volunteers safe and well, include the:-

► Dedicated aftercare support service for survivors of rape and sexual assault jointly delivered by RASA Merseyside  and Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (RASASC) Cheshire and Merseyside.

► Vulnerable Victims' Champion service for vulnerable victims of crime and anti-social behaviour delivered by Victim Support.

► Specialist support service for victims of Child Sexual Exploitation and Child Criminal Exploitation provided by Catch 22.

► Tailored hate crime support service jointly delivered by the Anthony Walker Foundation, Citizens' Advice Liverpool , and Daisy Inclusive UK  to provide specialist support according to strand, as well as a 3rd party hate crime reporting service provided by Stop Hate UK.

► Support for victims of harmful practices (including FGM, forced marriage and so-called 'honour-based' violence) provided by Savera UK.

► 'The Hub' advice centre to provide support for families who have lost a loved one to homicide, including crime related road traffic collisions delivered by Families Fighting for Justice.

The Commissioner also continues to provide funding to each of Merseyside's five local authorities to provide support for victims of domestic abuse, including young people. This includes funding for Independent Domestic Violence Advocates who support those in greatest need.

Jane added:- "This is a challenging time, but I want to reassure people that you are not alone. Please do not suffer in silence; reach out if you are in fear or have already been a victim and help is available. In an emergency, where you or a family member is in immediate danger, you should always contact the Police by calling:- 999."

If you need help or support after a crime, please visit:- VictimCareMerseyside.Org.

Silent Solution...  The Silent Solution system helps filter out accidental or hoax 999 calls from those who need genuine Police assistance. If speaking or making an immediate sound would put you in danger and you need immediate help, call:- 999 and stay on the line, then press:- '55' when prompted and the call will be transferred to the Police, who will know it is an emergency call.

Metro Mayor welcomes move to make travel easier for those carrying out essential journeys

THE Metro Mayor has welcomed new ticket acceptance arrangements agreed today by public transport leaders to support those people who have to make essential journeys. From Saturday, 4 April 2020, valid Merseyrail tickets will be accepted on Liverpool City Region Bus Services, from 7pm. The collaborative move is designed to help make it easier and provide more options for those people, particularly rail users, who do need to travel on public transport services later in the evening. If customers wish to plan for multi modal travel then appropriate multi modal tickets are available for example Trio or Saveaway. Transport operators and providers are also reminding people to adhere to the government guidance that all non-essential travel should be avoided, and social distancing practices should be maintained at all times. Suitable arrangements have been made with transport services to allow this.

Steve Rotheram, Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor, said:- "Key workers are doing invaluable work to help our communities fight the Coronavirus and I want to do all that we can to support the essential work they are carrying out on all our behalf. We acted quickly to suspend Mersey Tunnel tolls and enabled concessionary travel holders to use their passes before 9.30, so it is great that we have now been able to come to this agreement to ease the burden on those that are carrying out essential journeys to get around our Region. To beat the Coronavirus, it is so important that we all do our bit and work together. It is great to see our local transport operators really embracing that. Our public services are doing their jobs, you need to do yours. Wherever possible; stay home, stay safe and save lives."