Liverpool City Region COVID-19 Updates
... & Important Emergency Notices ...

Visitors urged to follow the Countryside Code as tourism businesses reopen

LCR Cares, the community fund set up by Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, in partnership with the Community Foundation for Merseyside and the National Emergencies Trust has now raised more than ₤1.5 million. This latest milestone comes as the fund received a further ₤120,417 from the National Emergencies Trust. The Fund has also benefited from contributions from other charitable trusts, such as the Daneway Foundation, local businesses, like Home Bargains and high profile individuals, such as Jamie Carragher and Sir Terry Leahy, as well as hundreds of individual contributions from people across the City Region. LCR Cares has already distributed ₤1.2 million of that total to more than 300 local community organizations across the whole Liverpool City Region

Speaking about this latest milestone, Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:- "I'm very proud of the support we’ve been able to provide for literally hundreds of community groups across our whole City Region, through LCR Cares, and it’s brilliant to see the fund pass this latest milestone. From mental health support and debt advice to providing food and activities for vulnerable people, community organizations are doing amazing work to help their neighbours through this crisis, and the continued generosity towards the fund has been amazing. Solidarity and community spirit are at the heart of our City Region which is why we were amongst the very 1st in the country to set up this type of fund. Its success is no surprise to me and I’d encourage people to continue to support it as there are still plenty of people in need of support."

Rae Brooke, Chief Executive for the Community Foundation for Merseyside, said:- "3 months on from the COVID-19 lockdown, we feel incredibly privileged to have worked alongside the Metro Mayor, National Emergencies Trust, multiple donors, and many inspirational community leaders to support the most vulnerable in our community. Over ₤1.5m to date has been raised to support those in need. Many people will continue to need significant help in the months to come, and beyond, so we urge those that can to donate to the LCR Cares COVID-19 Community Support Fund or volunteer their time. A huge thank you to everyone who has stepped up to the mark in recent months and demonstrated real community spirit when many have needed it most."

Details on how to donate are on the Combined Authority’s website. Search:- "LCRCares" or go to:- LCRCares.Co.UK, you can also visit:- VirginMoneyGiving.Com. Community organizations can apply for grants by visiting:- CFMerseyside.Org.UK,

MP praises dedication shown by teachers and school leaders during Coronavirus pandemic

AN MP has praised Head Teachers for their professionalism and dedication during the Coronavirus lockdown. Bill Esterson, the MP for Sefton Central, said Schools had been at the forefront of the fight against the virus by staying open for key worker children and those at higher risk including children with special needs. Mr. Esterson said he was calling on the government to ensure Schools received the funding they need to cover any extra costs incurred from the virus. The MP wrote to schools and said:- "Thank you to you and your staff for your hard work and dedication. This has been especially true during the pandemic and I know that you and your staff have done everything you can to support those children who have attended School and those who have not since the lockdown started. It has been an unprecedented time for us all and Schools have been at the forefront of the fight against Covid19 by continuing to care safely for children of key workers and those with special needs. I recognize that you and your governors have faced a huge amount of government guidance relating to the shutdown and ultimately bringing more children back to School. My view has been that schools should take a cautious approach. The safety of children, staff, and families has to come 1st. It is often forgotten that family members can be at high risk of infection, staff too. Therefore minimizing any risks of infection was always a top priority in Schools. I agreed with those including in teaching unions that a functioning test and trace system was essential before more children were in Schools. My view was that 1 June 2020 was too soon in Sefton and I supported the local authority as they developed their advice for Sefton Schools to delay opening until at least 15 June, and later 22 June 2020. I know how hard you have all worked to make more places available for children in those years where children went back. I know this hasn't been possible for all children in all schools, but you have all stretched the limits of your accommodation and the guidance to restart education for some year groups. I will be supporting every effort to secure Schools the extra funding they need in order to meet the costs of the COVID shutdown and of bringing more children back into school. Your Schools should not be placed at a financial disadvantage due to events out of your control. I very much hope to see more of our children return to School in September, and I know you want this too. If I can support you in any way, please do let me know. Thank you again for your commitment and hard work."

Mr Esterson added:- "It is right that every effort is made for all children to go to school in September. However, safety must come 1st. We can and we should learn from countries like Denmark where extra facilities have been made available using leisure centres and community buildings, where test and trace has been working and where PPE has been made available before children have gone to school. This government must start to learn from good practice elsewhere. So far it has been slow to respond to the crisis and this must change. Schools cannot deal with this on their own. Schools are a direct responsibility of National Government and that means the Government must give Schools the extra cash they need to be able to offer all children a safe place in School from September. Safe means were safe for children, staff, and families, many of whom are vulnerable to infection which can spread in schools if full safety measures are not in place. This must happen for the good of us all."

Response to the publication of Pillar 2 testing announcement from LGA

RESPONDING to the publication of Pillar 2 Coronavirus testing data online, which is to be updated daily, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:- "It is good that there will be increased transparency on testing data, with the publication of Pillar 2 figures online. However, the new data in the dashboard does not give Councils the information they need to identify specifically where in their area outbreaks are occurring in order to work locally to contain them. We continue to call for access to this smaller area data. Councils also need to see improvements to the individual case data that public health officials have started to receive, including making the data available for all tests and not just positive ones, adding UPRN's (property reference numbers), and providing more information about workplaces. The most important thing is that the public and those working on the frontline get a complete picture of the impact this virus has had in our neighbourhoods and in our communities, regardless of how the data is collected and where it is processed. This will help councils to work with their communities, to manage potential outbreaks, and prevent the spread of infection."

Chief Inspector of Constabulary says

MERSEYSIDE'S Police Commissioner has urged the public to be 'careful and cautious' as lockdown restrictions are further eased this weekend. Restaurants, pubs and bars are allowed to open their doors for the 1st time since March 2020, on Saturday, 4 July 2020, as long as they can ensure their venues follow the Government’s guidelines. Groups of up to 2 households will also be able to meet in any location, indoors or outdoors, as long as social distancing is observed. As the restrictions ease, the Region’s Police Commissioner Jane Kennedy has called on people to act with care and caution to make sure the sacrifices everyone has made over the last 3 months are not wasted.

Jane said:- "Many people are understandably looking forward to going out this weekend to enjoy our Region’s fantastic restaurants and bars, something we haven’t been able to do for more than 3 months. I wish everyone who is heading out an enjoyable time, but I would urge you to please be sensible and responsible. Please continue to follow the government’s guidance on social distancing and the directions given by landlords and their staff on how to behave when using their facilities. Please keep at the forefront of your minds that we are still in the midst of an epidemic of a most serious disease. Think about your own loved ones and keeping them safe. We all still need to be careful and cautious if we are to prevent spreading Covid-19. Merseyside Police have been planning for this weekend for a considerable amount of time and have extra resources available to respond to demands that may arise. I sincerely hope these will not be necessary. As we move back to some normality, we are benefiting from the sacrifices we have all made to curb the spread of the disease. Don’t throw it all away. The last thing Merseyside needs is to go into a potentially disastrous localised lockdown. By being sensible this weekend and in the weeks to come, people can play their part in helping to ensure that our restaurants and bars continue to stay open for everyone to enjoy for the months ahead."

The Commissioner’s appeal comes after she chaired a meeting at which senior representatives from Merseyside’s Local Resilience Forum briefed elected leaders from all 5 of the Region’s Local Authorities on the measures put in place to prepare for the weekend.

Jane added:- "I am grateful to the Local Resilience Forum for offering today’s briefing to elected leaders. It was reassuring to hear of the extensive planning that has gone into the re-opening of our economy. I hope everybody will follow the guidelines and stay safe."

► Salford, 1,299 confirmed cases.

► Tameside, 1,499 confirmed cases.

► Trafford, 1,242 confirmed cases.

► Wigan, 2,109 confirmed cases.