Council Takes Action To Support Local People

With new national restrictions now in place, Swale Borough Council is taking action to help support local people and stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The council will be working with partners to monitor compliance with the new restrictions and has the power to issue fines of up to £10,000 to businesses who are breaking the rules.

People who are clinically extremely vulnerable are being advised to stay at home as much as possible, except to go outdoors for exercise or to attend essential health appointments. If people don’t already have a priority supermarket delivery slot, the council can help set one up, or work with them to find alternatives.

The Government is providing funding for business grants of up to £3,000 a month to support firms who are forced to close by the new restrictions, which the council will be running. The council is also overseeing a £3 million fund to provide further support for local businesses affected by the pandemic.

Cllr Roger Truelove, leader of the council, told SFM News: “No-one wanted to be in this position, but we are, and now we must do all we can to get through this. We will continue to do all we can to help people and I am confident that if everyone works together and follows the rules, we will. But everyone needs to make sure they are doing all they can to stop the spread of this virus. The Government has indicated that these new restrictions will be followed by a return to the local alert level system. Before the national measures were announced, there was the real risk that the borough could have been put into a higher level, as cases were rising. So, if we want to keep people safe, and avoid further harm to the local economy, we simply must get the number of cases under control. That way, when the restrictions end, we will be able to return to less restrictions, and crucially, less risk of the virus causing further harm to local people and businesses.”

To find out more about how the council is working during the coronavirus pandemic visit: www.swale.gov.uk/coronavirus.