Leaders unite to reassure people
HYNDBURN’S MP Sara Britcliffe, council leader Miles Parkinson and opposition group leader Tony Dobson have issued a solemn joint statement as they present a united front to the coronavirus crisis.
The statement says: “We know our residents are worried about Coronavirus/COVID:19 and we want to reassure them that at this time of national crisis the wellbeing of our residents is our top priority and public safety comes first.
“We’re united in our aim to continue to work with the Government and colleagues in the NHS and Public Health England and other public bodies and have put aside our political differences to pull together to do all we can to support Hyndburn people through this time.
“The Government has cancelled local elections in May. We are suspending all Cabinet, Committee and Council meetings up to the end of May and we’re currently in the process of cancelling mayoral engagements scheduled up to the end of May, after which we’ll reassess the position. We’ve made preparations for Council staff and the vital services we deliver right across the Borough. We’re keeping our policies and business continuity plans constantly under review as the situation develops, to ensure we can continue to deliver essential services and safeguard staff and the public as best we can.
“We’ll continue to receive updates from the Department for Health and Social Care and we’re part of the Lancashire Local Resilience Forum (LRF) which meets regularly and has the primary responsibility for planning for, and responding to, any major emergency, including a pandemic, in the county.
“We are keenly aware of the government’s action plan, and will continually review our working practices and services in light of the growing number of cases being seen here in the UK. There is clear, helpful information on the NHS website about the symptoms of coronavirus and the steps to take and information about what the government is doing to tackle the coronavirus is available on the Gov.uk website.
“We want to support our vulnerable people through this period and we know that many local people are keen to volunteer to help those who need it most during this time of crisis. A huge thanks goes out to them, but with a plea to only join organised groups that are already set up, and therefore are properly trained with the appropriate safety checks in place, so as not to undermine the drive to help our most vulnerable residents. If you want to volunteer, visit hyndburnbc.gov.uk and search for ‘volunteering’.
“We know that we all need to work together to get through this, so please follow Government advice to help stop the spread of the virus and look out for the more vulnerable in our community if you are able during these difficult times.”