Services withdrawn until further notice:

• The Guildhall, Grantham - closed
• Stamford Arts Centre - closed
• Main Hall in Bourne Corn Exchange - closed
• All other gatherings or celebrations are cancelled until further notice

Staff are contacting ticket holders and clients regarding their bookings.

SKDC has temporarily suspended car parking charges and enforcement across all SKDC car parks in Grantham and Stamford to support key workers and others who have to drive to ensure the delivery of vital services.

Services operating to reduced standards:

Grantham cemetery and crematorium remain operational for funerals and burials.  To maintain social distancing a maximum of 10 people are able to attend each ceremony.

Services withdrawn until further notice:

Cemetery and crematoria grounds are now closed for other activity (e.g. walkthrough space) and will remain so until further notice.

All car parks are still operational with guidance on social distancing and cleanliness placed at the car parks.

Services withdrawn until further notice:

• SKDC-operated public toilets across the district are closed until further notice
• Wyndham Park Visitor Centre - closed
• Grantham and Stamford Mid-Lent Fairs - cancelled

Services withdrawn until further notice:

• All Council and Committee meetings are cancelled until further notice. Key decisions will be made by the Leader of SKDC, Cllr Kelham Cooke, acting as the Executive and non-key decisions by individual Cabinet Members as normal. Officer delegated decisions will continue to be made as normal.

Services operating to normal standards:

• Online and Telephone Services will operate as normal (and customers are encouraged to utilise these routes)

Services withdrawn until further notice:  

• Face to face advice, site visits and house visits have been withdrawn to minimise avoidable physical contact

Please refer to the link below for further advice and support
www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/coronavirus

To make a general enquiry:

• Email: customerservices@southkesteven.gov.uk
• Telephone: 01476 40 60 80
• Out of hours/emergency number: 01476 59 00 44

Services withdrawn until further notice:

SKDC Customer Service Centres in Grantham, Stamford, Market Deeping and Bourne are now closed for face-to-face enquiries to ensure avoidable physical contact is minimised.

Services operating to normal standards:

• All services are on offer, with restrictions on face-to-face contact

Services operating to normal standards:

• Processing of online applications and email enquiries

Services operating to reduced standards:

• Telephone enquiries

Services withdrawn until further notice

• Viewing the electoral register
• Receipt of evidence 

Services operating to reduced standards:

• Urgent complaints will be investigated, but with restrictions on visits to homes / premises

Services withdrawn until further notice:

• SKDC-operated public toilets across the district are closed until further notice

Services operating to reduced standards:

• The council will use its discretion on deadlines for Freedom of Information requests
• The Information Commissioner's Office states that people should expect delays on FOI and Subject Access requests as resources are diverted to other areas

Most services operating to normal standards

Services operating to reduced standards:

• Food hygiene and health and safety complaints will be investigated with some restriction on home/premises visits

Government guidance for food businesses
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-food-businesses

Message to Restaurants, Cafes and Drinking Establishments 

Restaurants, cafes and drinking establishments (Use Class A3, A4, mixed A3 and A4 and Class AA) can now sell takeaway food for a limited period of 12 months. 
It is subject to a condition that the owner notifies the Local Planning Authority if the building and any land within its curtilage is being use, or will be used, for the provision of takeaway food at any time during the relevant period.
The provision of takeaway food includes the provision of hot or cold food that has been prepared for consumers for collection or delivery to be consumed off the premises. 
Notification should be made in writing or by email to planning@southkesteven.gov.uk

Guidance for food business deliveries

Covid 19, also known as Coronavirus, has led to some food businesses and others transporting food and offering home delivery services of both hot and cold food and drinks. 

To help you to comply with food hygiene regulations and ensure foods and food handlers are safe, we are asking that you follow this guidance:

Protect food from contamination

• Keep all food suitably packaged and protected against contamination.

• Keep ready-to-eat foods covered. Depending on the type of food, you could use lidded containers, cellophane/aluminium foil tightly wrapped over the plate/bowl of food or bags.
• Use food grade disposable containers.
• Any raw food (including unwashed, unpeeled fruit/veg) must be completely separated from ready-to-eat food. 
• Vehicles used for deliveries must be maintained in good condition and clean.
• If packaged foods are delivered in outer containers (insulated boxes/trays/boxes, etc) these must be cleaned and disinfected between deliveries.
• Any returned containers must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected prior to re-use. Upon collection returned items should be placed in a dedicated tray/box for transport back to the business premises.

Allergens and Labelling

• You must provide accurate allergen information for customers. List ingredients and highlight ones containing any of the 14 regulated allergens (nuts, peanuts, eggs, milk, fish, crustaceans, molluscs, cereals containing gluten, celery, lupin, mustard, sesame seeds, soya).

• Provide a name/description of each dish. 
• Provide cooking and storage instructions for each dish.
• Provide a use by or best before date for each dish.

Temperature Control

• Hot food must be checked to ensure it reaches safe temperatures on cooking/reheating (above 750C) and be hot (above 630C) at time of despatch. This food must be delivered in insulated containers to maintain temperatures and should reach the customer as soon as possible, ideally within 30 minutes but no longer than 2 hours.

• High risk cold foods must be below 80C (ideally below 50C) at time of despatch and should be delivered as soon as possible, ideally within 30 minutes but no longer than 2 hours. The use of insulated containers is advisable.

Personal Hygiene

• After each delivery staff must thoroughly sanitise their hands on return to their vehicle and thoroughly clean them with soap and hot water immediately on return to the originating business premises.

• Staff must observe high standards of personal hygiene at all times and avoid touching their faces.
• Staff should not enter customers' properties and should keep as far away from customers as is possible when handing over the food. Remember, customers could be self-isolating.
• Where possible payment should be made when placing the order. If this is not possible staff must sanitise their hands after handling money or other items.

Do I need to notify the Environmental Health department?

• Food businesses already registered with us do not need to notify the council's environmental health department but pleaseensure your food safety systems reflect any changes.

• If you are not registered as a food business and plan to start selling food (whether for profit or not) on a regular basis (e.g. once a month or more often) you must register 28 days before starting. Register online at www.southkesteven.gov.uk/startup
• If you intend to give food away to friends and family, registration as a food business is not necessary but you still need to follow good hygiene practices .
• If you plan to prepare or handle food of animal origin, such as meat and dairy products, and supply to other premises, even those within your ownership, as a significant part of your overall business, you may need prior approval instead of registration - contact us for more information .

If you have any queries, please go to http://www.southkesteven.gov.uk/ or contact South Kesteven District Council, Environmental  Health Services, email: healthy@southkesteven.gov.uk telephone:   01476 406080.

Further food safety guidance can be found on the Food Standards Agency website at https://www.food.gov.uk/

Further Covid 19 (or Coronavirus) information is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-list-of-guidance

Services Operating to normal standards

• Grounds maintenance of Grantham crematoria and Grantham Cemetery
• Litter picking and grass cutting of parks and larger open spaces to allow the public to exercise etc.
• Emergency tree works

Services Withdrawn until further notice

• Assisted Garden Maintenance to Council Properties
• Cutting of Verges, small open spaces, amenity areas, closed churchyards, play areas and other such land
• Horticultural works (Shrub bed maintenance, weeding etc.)
• Non-emergency tree work
• Inspection of play areas, during period of closure

EnvironmentSK Ltd is SKDC Contractor for Grounds Maintenance

Services operating to reduced standards:

• Disabled Facilities Grant (Adaptations) - applications are being processed; property surveys and installations are on hold
• Housing enforcement inspections for private rented complaints (urgent issues only)

Services operating to normal standards:

• Urgent repairs including

- heating and hot water supplies

- Urgent repairs to mains services (gas, electric, water, foul drainage, etc

- Health and safety issues (eg gas safety, fire safety, legionella, asbestos)

- Issues affecting health of tenants and property standards such as mould or leaks

- Issues putting the security of the tenant or property at risk 

-  Void & TA Properties (to meet Homelessness needs)

• New tenancy agreements and management of temporary accommodation for the homeless
• Support for vulnerable residents
• Cleaning services
• Caretaking services
• Sheltered housing and key information for residents

Services operating to reduced standards:

• Grounds maintenance - only essential maintenance work will be completed
• Tenancy management - only urgent issues will be dealt with

Services withdrawn until further notice:

• Non-urgent repairs
• Pre and post-inspections of repairs work
• New-build council housing programme - existing schemes already on-site will continue
• Planned improvement works - works already started will be completed
• Consultation and Community engagement

Services operating to normal standards:

Online and Telephone Services will operate as normal (and customers are encouraged to utilise these routes).

Services withdrawn until further notice:  

Face to face advice, site visits and house visits have been withdrawn to minimise avoidable physical contact.

1Life Leisure Centres now closed until further notice

SKDC's leisure centres in Grantham, Stamford, Bourne and Deepings have been closed by management company 1Life until further notice following Govt guidance on containment of COVID-19.

More information at https://www.1life.co.uk/

Services operating to reduced standards:

• The renewals process for existing hackney carriage and private hire driver licences is altered to allow self-certification of medical fitness and any new cautions or convictions until further notice
• The six-month vehicle compliance check be replaced by a newly issued MOT certificate where it has not been possible for the licence holder to obtain a compliance check due to the closure of garages approved to undertake the check

Services withdrawn until further notice:

• All new applications for hackney carriage and private hire driver licences suspended until further notice
• All taxi knowledge test are suspended until further notice

Markets will remain open for stalls selling food 

We have made a decision to continue to support our markets in order to ensure residents have access to fresh food.

This will be carried out with adherence to the strict guidelines from Government on social distancing. All visitors to the market are reminded of the importance of maintaining a two-metre distance from anyone outside of their household.

There will be fewer stalls, and they will be spaced further apart to avoid crowding. 

We are providing guidance to stall holders on how to operate safely within the guidelines.

This position will be continually reviewed to accommodate any changes in government policy or guidance.

Services withdrawn until further notice

• Public toilets are closed until further notice
• Stalls selling non-food items will not be available

All services operating to normal standards.

Most services operating to normal standards; the Wyndham Park Visitor Centre and toilets have been closed

Some services operating to reduced standards:

• Open spaces within parks remain open for exercise only, but should only be used for exercise on your own or with members of your own household
• Social distancing measures should be maintained, ensuring you are two metres apart from anyone outside of your household

Services withdrawn until further notice:

• Playparks, outside gyms, sports courts and other parks equipment will be closed and should not be used

If you are intending to submit a new application, we would encourage you to use the Planning Portal's comprehensive online submission and payment service. Please see our website here for how to apply through the Planning Portal: http://www.southkesteven.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=8169

Applications made directly to the Council by email or post, together with cheque payments, could take much longer to process.

Services operating to normal standards:

• Planning applications, street naming and numbering, land charges and planning support continue to be provided as normal, although face-to-face meetings will be replaced with telephone or electronic advice

Services operating to reduced standards:

• Submission and payment for planning applications electronically via the Planning Portal are encouraged. Email and paper applications may take longer to process.
• All planning applications are being determined but with restrictions on site visits.
• The duty planner service is replaced with telephone appointments.
• Urgent enforcement complaints will be investigated but with restrictions on site visits.
• Non-statutory site notices are replaced by wider neighbour notification by letter.

Services withdrawn until further notice:

• The Planning Committee meeting scheduled for 2 April has been cancelled. Government advice is awaited on future committee meetings 
• Member training and site visits
• Pre-Application Discussions
• Placing non-statutory site notices at application sites

Message to Restaurants, Cafes and Drinking Establishments

Restaurants, cafes and drinking establishments (Use Class A3, A4, mixed A3 and A4 and Class AA) can now sell takeaway food for a limited period of 12 months.
It is subject to a condition that the owner notifies the Local Planning Authority if the building and any land within its curtilage is being use, or will be used, for the provision of takeaway food at any time during the relevant period.
The provision of takeaway food includes the provision of hot or cold food that has been prepared for consumers for collection or delivery to be consumed off the premises.
Notification should be made in writing or by email to planning@southkesteven.gov.uk

Services operating to reduced standards:

• The Big Clean service and street cleansing have been reduced to maintain waste collection services

Services operating to normal standards:

• InvestSK has information about additional support and guidance being offered to businesses at https://investsk.co.uk/business/business-continuity-2/
• Signposting to the relevant support, funding and guidance to help your business cope with the impact of the coronavirus outbreak
• Support to understand how much funding your business will receive from the Government's new small business grant scheme

Go to www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19 to find guidance for employees, employers and businesses about the coronavirus outbreak.

Business Lincolnshire helps support businesses based in Greater Lincolnshire and hosts a Growth Hub - a single point to access business experts and mentors, support and guidance, grants and finance.

Go to www.businesslincolnshire.com for:

• The latest news, guidance and support for businesses
• Available funding to help businesses cope with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak
• Support from a dedicated team of business advisers
• Regular updates via the Business Lincolnshire bulletin

All SKDC services operating to normal standards

Waste matters

Coronavirus impact on your waste collection service

Given the pace of the coronavirus national emergency, we are reacting on a daily basis to the way we do things and it is understandable that residents have questions about how this affects their waste and recycling collections.

At present there is no change in the way we collect and empty your bins and we are working hard to do what we can to maintain this essential public service. We continue to operate our rounds as we have always done, taking every care to ensure our customers' and our crews' safety and welfare.

This could change, however, and we will ensure that we update you as soon as possible. If government guidance changes or we don't have enough crew for a specific round, we will make you aware of that as this may mean that we need your support to enable us to collect the bins at a different time or day. Whilst we will seek to redeploy staff from elsewhere in the council first, there may come a time when we have insufficient staff, through their own illness or the need to self-isolate, to fulfil all our collections and duties.

Our collection crews take every precaution they can and wear protective gloves when collecting your bins, so we are asking you to wash your hands before relocating your bin, wipe down the handle and wash your hands after moving it.

We have taken note of comments on social media about three crew members being in the cab of a refuse lorry. We assure you we are closely monitoring the national guidance and taking sensible precautions to ensure their welfare.  Our arrangements are being informed by the Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum and include promoting hand washing, high levels of personal hygiene, the wearing of personal protective gloves and clothing and being highly vigilant in respect of the monitoring of COVID-19 symptoms.

The collection of black bin household waste is our priority, but it may be that we must divert colleagues away from other tasks to achieve this.

If this happens we will do everything we can to make customers aware of any impact, through our website, social media channels and the media.

Side Waste (additional bags)

We have been asked whether we will be taking side waste at this time.

We appreciate that with more people being at home for longer, residents may see additional accumulation of extra waste and recycling. But in order to ensure the service continues to run as smoothly and efficiently as possible, we are unable to take any side waste with your black bin at this time.

We ask that you try and maximise capacity in your bins at home by crushing down packaging as small as possible and using a home composting bin (if you have one) to dispose of as much vegetable and garden waste as possible.

Recycling

Please remember to only recycle the items allowed in your silver bin:
http://www.southkesteven.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=9021

Help us protect our staff so we can continue our service for you

Please help us continue our service and protect our staff by following the guidance below for households displaying coronavirus symptoms:

• any personal waste (such as used tissues and disposable cleaning cloths) from households should be stored securely within rubbish bags
• these bags should be placed into another bag, tied securely and kept separate from other waste
• this should be put aside for at least 72 hours before being put in your black bin

It is extremely important that tissues are NOT put in recycling bins or wastepaper bins.

By taking these actions you will help the refuse teams remain safe and continue to provide the normal level of waste collection services for as long as possible.

All LCC Household Waste Recycling Centres (tips) are now closed until further notice in support of residents not leaving their homes and to comply with the current requirements around gatherings.

Garden waste should, as usual, not be put in your general waste bin/bags. It should be put in your garden waste bin or taken to a HWRC, when they reopen.