Lowestoft Town Council
Bentley Drive will be closed between the 28th April and 2nd May between 9:30am and 3pm for surface dressing works. The diversion route can be found here -https://lowestofttowncouncil.gov.uk/assets/Documents/Traffic-Notices/2019-12-09-NA-Plan-C973-Bentley-Drive.pdf.
Read more on Bentley Drive Road Closure - 28th April to 2nd May
Work will resume at the Ness in Lowestoft this week, after contractors Blakedown Construction Ltd advised they would be returning to site whilst adhering to Government safety advice.
Work on the site was suspended on 23 March however after careful consideration, Blakedown Construction now intend to return to site on Tuesday 14 April to continue with work. Government advice is that construction sites can remain open as long as work is conducted in a safe and appropriate manner and Blakedown Construction will be putting all necessary protection measures in place - their operatives will be able to work at a safe distance from each other and will travel to and from site in separate vehicles. The site remains closed to the public for health and safety reasons during the construction period and to ensure social distancing with the local community.
East Suffolk Council is now processing the payment of grants for local businesses provided by the government in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Eligible businesses are being asked to complete a straightforward online form which will capture the data required by central government and allow the Council to make payment to each eligible business as soon as possible.
As part of this process, and to ensure as many businesses as possible are aware of the funding available to them, East Suffolk Council is also writing to over 7,000 businesses who may be eligible for the grants - the Small Business Grant Fund or the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Fund. The Council will also promote the scheme through the media and online channels.
The first fund offers a grant of £10,000, announced by the Government to support small businesses (which receive small business rate relief or rural rate relief). The second is a grant of either £10,000 or £25,000 depending on rateable value, for businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors.
Once each business has completed the online form, they will receive an automated email to confirm receipt of the form. The Council will then undertake verification checks and make payment of the grant as soon as possible. Once payment has been submitted to the business an automated email will be sent to confirm payment has been made.
Cllr Craig Rivett, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Tourism, said: “We are in unprecedented times and this funding is a lifeline for many local businesses. We have a responsibility to ensure they can access it as quickly as possible and by setting up a clear and straightforward online form, the application process will be as smooth as possible. We hope to encourage everyone who is eligible to apply and get the funding they deserve.”
Businesses with a rateable value of £51,000 or over are not eligible for this scheme. Businesses which are not ratepayers in the business rates system are not included in this scheme.
The online form and full details about how to apply with full eligibility criteria can be found at: https://www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/covid-19-business-grant-funding.
Read more on East Suffolk Council encourages businesses to apply for funding
Please find below the daily C19 update from Suffolk County Council which they have asked we share with you:
As we approach the weekend, it is more important than ever that people remember that anyone can spread Coronavirus so everyone should stay at home.
You should only leave the house for 1 of 4 reasons:
STAY AT HOME. PROTECT THE NHS. SAVE LIVES.
Read more on Latest COVID-19 Update from Suffolk County Council
In the interests of crew safety and to ensure that household waste and recycling collections are prioritised, East Suffolk Council and East Suffolk Norse have taken the decision to temporarily suspend the collection of garden waste.
The final round of garden waste collections will take place tomorrow, Friday 27 March. The Council is also temporarily suspending its food waste and glass collection services which are ordinarily provided in parts of Lowestoft. Residents who have a separate food collection are advised to place this waste in the black bin for the time being.
These changes will ensure that all vehicles and crews are being used to collect household waste and recycling during the current restrictions and they will continue to be emptied on established collection days.
When garden waste collections recommence, subscriptions will be ‘rolled forward’, which means that a new annual payment will only be required once each subscriber has received their full quota of 12 monthly collections.
Cllr James Mallinder Cabinet Member for the Environment said: “In these unprecedented times we must get the balance right between delivering essential services and safeguarding the health of our staff and communities. Fewer collections ensure that our crews will spend less time in close proximity to each other, which then reduces the risk of spreading the virus and creating further disruption to our teams.
“We appreciate that stopping this service will cause some inconvenience but we sincerely hope that everyone will understand that this is being done to safeguard wider public health."
Cllr Mallinder also confirmed that there are no current plans to stop the collection of recyclables - however the Council will continue to monitor the situation. Additionally, he hopes that people will give some thought to what they purchase and the build-up of household waste.
He said: “It is important that people are only purchasing the food items they need to ensure that shops are able to replenish their stocks in good time. However, this is also important to help minimise waste and the build-up of rubbish, should there be further impacts on our collection service. Garden and food waste should also be composted wherever possible.”
