Changes made by New Forest District Council amid coronavirus outbreak

This includes a helpline that has been set up to support those living in the Forest, including practical help for frail or vulnerable Hampshire residents, and for general information and advice.

Amongst this support, the council has outlined the following support and reassurance to residents.

Coronavirus Hampshire Helpline

The Coronavirus Hampshire Helpline (Hantshelp4vulnerable) can be contacted on 0333 370 4000.

It is available seven days a week, from 9am to 5pm, and is for vulnerable people who do not have support from families, friends or their local community, and who need urgent assistance with practical issues.

Community alarms

Appletree Careline community alarm service is continuing to operate 24/7 and has retrained staff from other services to ensure it carries on working.

New alarm installations will be fitted only where essential to facilitate a hospital discharge or prevent unnecessary hospital admissions.

When visiting people's homes, the council said they are taking all the necessary precautions around social distancing, self-isolation, and hand washing.

CCTV

Monitoring of the District's CCTV cameras remains unaffected.

Advice from Safer New Forest

Safer New Forest is a partnership of public organisations working towards reducing crime and anti-social behaviour and to make the New Forest a safer place to live, work and visit.

They can advise on children at risk, modern slavery and human trafficking, drug and alcohol related harm, and domestic abuse.

The Hampton Trust can offer support to those feeling unsafe at home during this difficult time.

It is also warning people not to become a victim of scams.

It comes following 41 reports of a scam email purporting to be from HM Government asking for donations to the NHS during the COVID-19 outbreak.

According to the police, this is a fake email and your money will only end up in the hands of a criminal.

They said the NHS will never ask you to send money directly to a bank account.

If you would like to donate to the NHS, you can do so via their official channels or your local NHS Trust.

Officers have warned people not to click on links or attachments in suspicious emails and never respond to messages that ask for your personal or financial details.

Cemeteries and funeral services

The council's cemeteries service is working closely with the area's funeral directors so that rules around funeral attendance and social distancing at cemeteries can be followed.

Funeral services in NFDC cemeteries are still permitted, but only immediate family should attend, and only where it is safe for them to do so in line with current government restrictions.

Interments for cremated remains and burials are expected to continue unless the Government advises otherwise.

Waste, recycling, and environment

Collecting household rubbish and recycling is a priority but there are likely to be some adjustments to refuse collections.

Residents are being asked to keep an eye on website announcements, and to share information with any family or friends who are unable to access the website.

Black and clear sack collections

The NFDC has asked people to put sacks out for collection at the edge of their property and not to stack-pile sacks with neighbours' waste.

They said: "It’s important you can identify your own sacks as, if refuse is not collected on the collection day, you will need to take yours back in.

"Our operatives may still stack-pile as part of their collection patterns.

"Refuse crews have been given guidance on how to maintain social distancing and adjustments are being made to the way we carry out the service to follow this in a safe way.

"Residents are asked not to approach crews with questions and to keep to 2m distance."

Anyone who has confirmed or possible Coronavirus, or that is self-isolating, is asked to double-bag all waste that contains tissues and not to put it out for collection for at least 72 hours.

While garden waste and bulky waste collections have been suspended until further notice, glass recycling and clinical waste collections - including orange sacks and yellow sharps boxes - are still taking place.

Recycling banks and textiles banks are no longer being emptied, and visiting recycling bank sites is considered an unnecessary journey.

Residents are advised to stay at home, present any recyclable materials at the kerbside and hold onto any unwanted textiles.

Bulk business waste customers should continue to present their general waste in green business waste sacks.

How you can help

Residents can help the council continue to collect waste by minimising what is put out for collection:

1) Hold on to unwanted items for the time being – house clearance waste, DIY materials and old clothes and toys.

2) Garden waste – start a compost heap or add to a compost bin.

3) Reduce food waste – do not buy or cook more than you need, store or freeze leftovers, keep an eye on use by dates, and compost what you can.

Fly tipping

Police and Council officers are patrolling for fly tipping and is a serious criminal offence for which you can be prosecuted.

You may be fly tipping if you:

1) Put rubbish, glass or other recyclables on the floor next to a full bin or recycling bank

2) Leave a bag outside a closed charity shop

3) Give your DIY and rubble to someone to dispose of who does not have a waste carriers license.

Clean streets and dog waste

Council teams continue to clean streets and empty dog waste and litter bins in public areas, whilst also providing back up support to our crucial refuse teams.

Residents are reminded that dog waste can be placed in any litter bin, so if dog waste bins are full, they are asked to use a different public litter bin or take the waste home with them.

Rents, benefits and council tax

Council tax pays for essential services for all residents, so people are expected to continue to pay their council tax if their circumstances have not changed.

Residents struggling to pay their council tax due to loss of earnings or illness resulting from coronavirus can seek financial assistance through the council tax reduction scheme.

Flexible payment options are being offered to residents in difficulty.

Important changes to benefits from 1 April:

1) Local Housing Allowance rates are increasing and will be notified to residents.

2) Working Tax Credit is increasing by £20 per week and will not affect the amount of Housing Benefit you get.

3) NFDC are working on hardship fund payments and will provide an update soon.

Housing, housing maintenance and homelessness

The NFDC Housing Services is continuing to provide key services to tenants who require housing related assistance and are prioritising essential work.

Residents are asked to continue to pay rent on a council property if their circumstances have not changed.

The council said they are continuing to provide advice and assistance to households facing homelessness.

If you are about to become homeless or are at risk of homelessness, complete this form www.newforest.gov.uk/article/4309/Are-you-homeless-or-threatened-with-homelessness.

If you are homeless today, please submit the online form and call the team on 023 8028 5234.

They said: "We have accommodated all known rough sleepers who have accepted accommodation."

Only essential repairs to council homes are being carried out including emergency repairs and work necessary to prevent danger to life or extensive damage to property or if the problem will have an adverse effect on a medical need, and essential urgent repairs to prevent undue inconvenience or further damage to property.

All non-essential work programmes on kitchens, bathrooms, windows, doors, roofs, and other units will cease until further notice.

Housing maintenance staff and contractors will be following social distancing guidance when visiting tenants' homes and will continue observing good hygiene standards in accordance with the national guidance.

Disabled adaptation works in private homes have halted, while the council will respond to urgent property safety incidents or hazards in private-rented properties.

Landlords still have a duty to carry out annual gas safety inspections on private rented properties, whilst observing social distancing guidance.

If an annual inspection is due, tenants are asked to allow access for this to happen or if you are self-isolating, make your landlord aware of this so they can make appropriate arrangements for the inspection to be carried out at a suitable time once you have stopped self-isolation.

Businesses

Where a business qualifies under the new policies, they will be sent a revised bill.

Businesses also need not apply for Small Business Grants Fund (SBGF) and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF.

These will be paid directly to eligible businesses.

Regulations have been relaxed to allow public houses and restaurants to temporarily operate as food takeaways.

Whilst pubs and restaurants don't need to apply for planning permission to do this, they must notify the Local Planning Authority in writing.

Planning, Building Control, Environmental Health and Protection

Planning and tree work applications are being processed, although there will be no site visits that require going into properties that are inhabited.

Applications can be submitted in the normal way, and electronic submissions are encouraged where possible.

Building control continues to operate as normal, but internal inspections of buildings that are inhabited will not be carried out, which may impact the issuing of completed certificates.

Complaints for alleged nuisance, including noise and bonfire, will be taken by e-mail, letter or telephone calls - visits are not being made unless deemed absolutely necessary - and they ask residents to be considerate to neighbours during this period and ensure their activities do not cause a nuisance.

They also urge residents not to burn waste, including garden waste, due to the potential health and nuisance impact.

Licensed home boarding establishments for pets can continue to operate during the Coronavirus outbreak, providing they maintain all social distancing guidelines.

This includes only accepting animals from key workers; those in a vulnerable group or people self-isolating who are unable to look after their pet themselves; and

following the advice to only leave the house for exercise once a day.

The pest control service is operating at a reduced level but will prioritise issues that have a public health impact.

Car parks, public facilities, health and leisure

All public facilities including public toilets and playgrounds are closed.

Parking clock sales have been suspended.

Although refunds will not be given for current parking clocks, the council is looking at extending the expiration date of the clocks depending upon the duration of this suspension.

Those parked in an NFDC car park that are unable to move the car and therefore exceed the parking duration for reasons associated with coronavirus, this will be treated with sensitivity if you need to contact the council about any Penalty Charge Notice you may have received.

Health and Leisure centres remain closed to the public.

Customers have been advised that all direct debit payments for memberships and swim lessons have been frozen until further notice and invoices will be amended for clubs and hirers once a date for reopening is known.

Customers who paid for classes will be given a credit and for larger payments like children’s parties, refunds can be arranged.

Advice on access to local open spaces

The government’s priority is to save lives and the best way to protect yourself and others from illness is to stay at home.

If you are leaving your home and exercising once a day, stay local and use open spaces near to your home.

Council meetings

All NFDC public meetings have been cancelled until further notice.

The Coronavirus Act 2020 has now been introduced and they are awaiting further guidance from the Government on regulations for future meetings.