Have Your Say on Cotswold District Council Services

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Residents and businesses in the Cotswolds are being urged to give their views on the District Council’s spending plans as it prepares its budget for the next financial year.

The aim is to gather as much feedback as possible on key areas such as housing, climate change and changes to the district’s local plan. The budget consultation is being held over five weeks from Wednesday 4 November to midnight on Tuesday 8th December 2020.

The budget is being prepared against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, which has had a significant impact on the District as a whole, as well as the Council’s finances.

The Council’s Cabinet is keen to ensure that key services are maintained and, where possible enhanced while ensuring that the Council’s finances are sustainable and resilient.

Plans include developing better and greener ways to travel around the District, reviewing open spaces on new developments and providing help for individuals with complex needs who are facing homelessness.

The Council’s survey will also gather views on the Council’s plan to raise additional income from a new ‘Recovery Investment Strategy’ and a proposed Council Tax rise of £5 a year for a Band D household.

For more information on the budget consultation, and to fill out the survey, go to www.cotswold.gov.uk/budget

Cotswold District Council to Contact Clinically Extremely Vulnerable Residents

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Cotswold District Council are this week starting the process of contacting people deemed to be ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ (CEV) across the district to make sure their basic needs are being met during lockdown.
People are classed as CEV if they are at very high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 due primarily to specific health conditions and are therefore being advised to take extra precautions. Vulnerable people are encouraged to stay at home and only go out to exercise and only work if they can do so safely from home.

CDC is taking a proactive approach and contacting these 4166 vulnerable residents to make sure they have the support and access to essential supplies that they need during the lockdown. 

Officers will begin by sending emails and text messages to vulnerable residents, asking them to confirm if they are okay or require support. For those without email or mobiles, there will be phone calls until contact is established. Officers will knock on people’s doors to check that they are okay if they do not respond to other attempts to contact them and will be clearly identifiable as being from the Council.

Any residents that need help will then be given the appropriate support such as assistance in booking a priority online supermarket delivery, befriending support, or help in accessing specialist support such as mental health and welfare services.

Cllr Jenny Forde, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, explained the approach: “This is a big logistical task for us, but we are committed to being here for our residents throughout this pandemic and are not going to stop now. We want to protect and support the most vulnerable members of our communities and we will contact everyone on the list supplied to us by the government. We know that many people we speak to will be able to care for themselves or already have a strong network of friends, family or community support, but we also know there are people who don’t.

This second lockdown is tough for all of us – we know that many will be struggling, both in terms of feeling isolated and the stress of having to access services and vital supplies all over again. Not everyone finds it easy organising online food supplies for example or using the internet, so we want to offer practical support where we can.”

Councillor Forde, added: “Of course, people need to be extremely vigilant about fraudsters contacting them, asking for money, or posing as a council or NHS workers, so we want to get the word out that we are doing this and if you are classed as ‘Clinically Extremely Vulnerable,’ then we will be in touch and all our staff will clearly identify themselves.  It would be helpful if people receiving an email or text respond so that we know we do not need to continue to try to contact them.”

Businesses Asked to Wait for Grants Information

Posted on By Admin Officer
We are aware many business owners will be worried about the financial implications of having to close due to the new lockdown restrictions on Thursday.
The Government has released information on the availability of grants for those affected as well as updates to the furlough scheme and mortgage payment holidays and it can be seen here: www.gov.uk/government/news/furlough-scheme-extended-and-further-economic-support-announced/

As in the previous lockdown, the Council will be responsible for assessing eligibility for grants and handling applications.

Once that information is available we will publish it on the dedicated Coronavirus: Business and Licensing section of our website: https://www.cotswold.gov.uk/business-and-licensing/coronavirus-business-and-licensing/ 

We would also urge business owners to sign up to our Business Matters newsletter which will contain all the latest information. 

In the meantime, we would like to ask businesses not to contact our Customer Services Team as our advisers will not be able to provide more information than is on the website.

Cllr Mike Evemy, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “We appreciate the concerns of businesses during this unprecedented period and the urgency to deliver these payments.

“Rest assured, once we have the detailed guidance from the Government, we will be doing everything we can to process these grants quickly.”

Green Economic Growth Strategy – Cotswolds

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This is the first time Cotswold District Council has been explicit about how it wants to support and encourage our local economy to take ownership of its own Commercial Destiny.
We cannot have captured every detail correctly but the Economic and Business Team at Cotswold District Council have worked incredibly hard on this document to focus on what brings differential growth to an area and how to create a sustainable, green economy for the next 30 years that our children will be proud to grow up in and remain in the area with well paid high value careers. It covers:

The Green Economy
The Digital world with Cheltenham Cyber Hub on our doorstep – this is projected to grow by another £4bn as a market in two years
Agritech – a vastly changing landscape of new robot driven AI and aerial surveys; organic development and food research – we are world leaders in this area at Campden Food Research and the Royal Agricultural University (FARM 491 – Farm ED)
Directed Investment – including support from the CDC Recovery Investment Fund of £50m
Skills – linked with the anticipated £4.5m investment in the Applied Digital Skills Centre at Deer Park

I am genuinely excited at the prospect this brings – of surging interest in our District where more and more of our best brains are choosing to make their careers – whether working from home or starting up new business. The future looks very bright.

Your contributions are most welcome at https://www.cotswold.gov.uk/about-the-council/having-your-say/consultations/

Please note the deadline for this 10th November 2020.

Yours sincerely,

Tony Dale

Cabinet Member for the Economy & Skills
Cotswold District Councillor for Northleach Ward

Tony.Dale@cotswold.gov.uk

New Test and Trace Support Payment

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The government has launched a new payment for those on low incomes who are unable to work while self-isolating.
Borough, district and city councils across Gloucestershire will be processing applications and making payments to those who:

  • have been told to stay at home and self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, either because they have tested positive for coronavirus or have recently been in close contact with someone who has tested positive;
  • are employed or self-employed;
  • are unable to work from home and will lose income as a result; and
  • are currently receiving Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, income-based Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit and/or Pension Credit.

Those who meet the criteria, and have been provided with an eight-character account reference from the NHS Test and Trace Service, will be eligible for a one-off payment of £500.

Local borough, district and city councils will be inviting applications from Monday 12 October 2020.

For more information, and to apply for a support payment, visit https://www.cotswold.gov.uk/council-tax-and-benefits/coronavirus-council-tax-and-benefits/

New Free App Makes it Quick and Easy to Pay for Parking

Posted on By Admin Officer

Parking in the Cotswolds is now quicker and easier than ever thanks to a new app being launched by Cotswold District Council.  

PayByPhone, which replaces the previous MiPermit app from 1 October, is free to use.  The 10p admin charge has been scrapped.

PayByPhone is one of the largest providers of cashless parking services in the UK and many residents and visitors will already have the app installed on their smartphone. It will be in use at all Council car parks [full list below].

Cllr Mike Evemy, Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for Finance, said: “The new app makes parking in the district simpler and more convenient than ever. Not only does paying this way give more flexibility for drivers, but by reducing the amount of cash in the machines, we can reduce the risks of theft and vandalism.  It will also reduce the number of people needing to use the machines.” 

Once loaded onto your device, PayByPhone is simple to use. Drivers enter the location number of the car park, select how long they want to stay and confirm their payment. The app also has a range of features including a handy reminder telling you when your parking period is due to end, multiple payment methods and 24/7 support service (also available by phone free of charge).

Those residents who do not have a smartphone can rest assured that they can still pay by card. The Council is planning to end cash payments by March 2021.

Users of the MiPermit app will need to download the PayByPhone App if they don’t already have it to park in our car parks from 1 October. Download now from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android), so you can use it when you’re next parking in one of our car parks. 

For more information, go to https://paybyphone.co.uk/cotswold