Bulletins

Devon Mobile Libraries will be back on the road bringing books to you from July 13th 2020. To make sure

In this bulletin

Beware of NHS Test and Trace scammers

Contact tracers will NEVER

• Ask you to make any form of payment
• Ask any details about your bank account
• Ask you for any passwords or PINs
• Ask you to download anything

Exmoor COVID-19 economic impact survey

If you run an Exmoor based business or do significant business on Exmoor please help Exmoor National Park help you by completing their brief Covid-19 Economic Impact Survey

Public toilets
Out of the 16 public toilets which NDC owns across the district, 7 blocks are now open.

We have concentrated the reopening of toilets to coastal areas where we thought there would be most use. We will be looking to reopen the others shortly but no date has yet been set. We will need to employ more staff to do this as we are using a much more frequent cleaning schedule. It is likely that they will reopen in the next few weeks.

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NHS Test and Trace service launched

The government is introducing the service to help return life more to normal, in a way that is safe and protects our NHS and social care.

Anyone who tests positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace to find out about who they’ve been in close contact with recently. Then, if necessary, those they’ve interacted with will be notified and told they must self-isolate at home to help stop the spread of the virus.

New lockdown restrictions from today – 1 June

From today some of our lockdown restrictions that have been in place have changed.

1) Nurseries and other early years settings and reception, year one and year six in primary schools have reopened in a safe way;

2) Outdoor retail and car showrooms, where social distancing is generally easier, have been able to reopen; and

3) Up to six people can meet outside (in parks, gardens and other private outdoor space) – provided those from different households continue strictly to observe social distancing rules by staying two metres apart.

Register your food business with us

Just a reminder that all food services operating in our district – including temporary and not-for-profit businesses – are required by law to register with us. Registration is simple, free and can’t be refused.

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The government has launched new coronavirus business support finder tool.

Apply for a business rates grant now

Many of the businesses that are eligible for the government grants have still not applied for money to help get them through the Coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

Minimise the risk of Legionnaire’s Disease post COVID-19

The Royal Society for Public Health are holding a webinar at 1pm on Thursday 23 April for owners of buildings, including hotels and other accommodation sites, offices, health clubs, commercial buildings etc. that have been closed or partially closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Important information for local businesses

Barnstaple & District Chamber of Commerce Ltd are holding a series of webinars and online meet-ups which aim to support local businesses through the pandemic.

In this bulletin

£17m of government grants paid out so far

NDC has paid out £17m to 1500 businesses in the last week. We’ve had 1800 applications so far which means around half of eligible businesses are yet to apply.

Look after your mental health during lockdown

As part of their Every Mind Matters campaign to support our mental health, Public Health England has launched new Covid 19 resources to help us all during the outbreak.

Important information for employers

The government has announced a Step by Step Guide for employers who want to apply for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme if they have had to furlough staff.

Museum of Barnstaple & North Devon would like your lockdown experiences

Covid-19 has dramatically changed our home life, working environments and communities. As we reflect on our experiences so far and look to support each other through the next three weeks, the museum is launching an archive for recording your Covid-19 stories.