Dear Residents,
I am writing to you directly, as we enter the winter period, to inform you of the current situation relating to Coronavirus in Northamptonshire and specifically the areas in which you live. I’m also hoping to share some key tips to help you and your families stay safe during the winter period and how to access support if you need to self-isolate, if you become unwell, or if you require help with shopping, medication or loneliness.
We are currently seeing the largest rise in cases in Northamptonshire since the first national lockdown. Positive cases range across all age groups, but significantly are largest in the age groups from 10-59. We know that these age groups are amongst the most sociable, go to school, university or work, and may be involved in the care of others, children and/or older people.
Worryingly, we are also seeing a rise in cases amongst those aged over 60. This age group is the group that are most likely to become severely unwell should they get Coronavirus, they may need to stay in hospital and sadly, as we are starting to see once again, more of this age group are likely to die from the virus.
Transmission can easily spread within families, especially where children and parents mix with grandparents and particularly in indoor settings. Whilst we recognise the importance of social interaction, we would recommend that if you have to work with or care for someone who is older or more vulnerable, or if you ordinarily mix with grandparents, that you consider reducing your social contacts elsewhere, or move your interactions with those older, more vulnerable contacts to an online format where possible during the winter period.
The introduction of recent national lockdown guidance will help us to reduce community transmission of the virus. Community transmission is where the virus spreads in households with people mixing in indoor spaces in particular. We would recommend that where anyone enters your home, or you theirs, for example for childcare purposes, that everyone wears a face covering, maintains a two metre social distance, and keeps interactions as short as possible. Continue to wash your hands regularly and clean any surfaces or contact points such as door handles, cupboard handles and taps.
If you have any concerns about whether you may have COVID-19, how to get a test, how to get more support for someone who is vulnerable or the current guidance and what you can and cannot do, visit the County Council website. https://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/coronavirus-updates/Pages/default.aspx
We all need to work hard to ensure that case numbers reduce in our local area, to ensure that we keep the people we love safe, and so that we can return to a more normal way of living as soon as possible when the national measures come to an end. We are all in this together and all of our actions contribute to the outcomes we face. Let’s continue to work together, to wash our hands regularly, to wear our face coverings and to keep two metres from others.
Lucy Wightman
Director of Public Health, Northamptonshire County Council
- Buses: The buses have been saved for another year (31.3.20 to 1.4.21). The service is slightly changed by making it partly more efficient and useable and also reducing the journeys to Market Harborough to 2 days a week instead of 5. See the timetable attached. It was two years ago the bus subsidy was actually stopped – 23rd July, 2018, and we obtained a grant of £30,000 from DDC to keep us going until 31st March 2019. We then raised from the parishes on the route, half of the money required for the following year, up to 31st March 2020, with NCC paying a half plus a bit more. So currently we have had to raise another £15,000 from the participating parishes on the route up to 31st March 2021. There was a bit of a shortfall so NCC agreed to cover that. There needs to be a lot of lobbying of local and national representatives if the buses are to continue after 1.4.21 and if anybody has any ideas in this respect, please contact the Clerk.
- Urgent Message : This is an urgent message from the Parish Council to anyone with an interest in walking The Gallops (The large field on the corner of A5199 and Teeton Road). There are signs around the field requesting that the use of the field be respected with no litter or dog mess etc. There are also regular requests in the parish Newsletter that the permission to allow for walking there be respected otherwise it will be removed. Unfortunately the tenant farmer has now come to the end of his tether regarding the misuse of the field. Some of the electric fence posts which cordon off the hay or the sheep, depending on the time of year, have been removed, are missing or thrown into the long grass. Dog mess is not only left around the field but put in bags and left. The farmer has asked the Parish Council to give one final warning that the permission will be removed if this behaviour continues. The late Mrs Joan Tice gave permission for villagers to use the field for walking provided they respected it. This is NOT an official footpath. The footpath from the north east corner of the Gallops to Teeton is a permanent official footpath donated by the generosity and kindness of Mrs Tice.
The privilege of the many people who enjoy the Gallops will be removed if the very small minority of those who abuse it, continue their behaviour. Please pass this message on to anyone you know who has an interest in the Gallops.
- Coronavirus up-date : The authorised Community Response in Northamptonshire, provided by the district and borough councils and co-ordinated by the county council, is working extremely well. The telephone number for anyone needing help is 0300 126 1000 (Option 5). Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
- 01/04/20 New Coronavirus support line launched: A new support line has been launched to support the most vulnerable members of our community. The new support line – which can be reached on 0300 126 1000 (Option 5) – allows those who cannot leave their homes under current restrictions and those who have nobody to call upon for help, to request support in getting access to food, prescriptions and other vital services that they require. There are a large number of people across Northamptonshire who are currently in isolation for various reasons. These include individuals displaying symptoms of Coronavirus and those with existing health conditions, those who are pregnant or those aged 70 and above.
- The Customer Service Centre at Northamptonshire County Council will be managing the helpline, ensuring that each call is appropriately triaged so that individuals receive the care and support that is appropriate to their needs. The Community Resilience Service will co-ordinate requests for help in conjunction with the District and Borough Councils, mapping those requests by area and linking them up with local community groups, volunteers and voluntary organisations who have pledged their support
Those requiring help are asked to call the support line on the following number:
0300 126 1000 (option 5)
People can also fill in NCC’s online form
Find out more about the range of support on offer during this time on NCC Coronavirus advice pages
- Daventry District Council: Are you in need of extra support during the coronavirus pandemic? Or do you know someone in your local community who might need some help? Daventry District Council is working with a range of partner organisations to co-ordinate local efforts to get people the help they need during these difficult times.An army of volunteers has come forward to offer their help with everything from collecting prescriptions or shopping for people who cannot leave their home, to offering a friendly ear to those who might be feeling a bit lonely.So if you are in need of any support, or know anyone who might need help, please get in touch.
Help that can be arranged includes:
▪️Collecting prescriptions
▪️Help with shopping/emergency supplies
▪️Telephone befriending
If you are in need of help and support please go to Daventry District Council’s website to complete an online form:
https://www.daventrydc.gov.uk/your-council/news/advice-on-coronavirus/advice-for-the-public/extra-support/
Once you have completed the form, we will match you with a community group of volunteers who will contact you as soon as they can to arrange the support you need. Please be aware we are experiencing huge demand for these services at the moment, so you may not get a response straight away.
- Volunteering opportunities: If you and your family and friends want to be involved in volunteering opportunities in Northamptonshire there’s more information here: https://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/coronavirus-updates/Pages/volunteer-to-help-those-in-need-coronavirus.aspx Volunteers will be matched with those requesting help, according to their skills and locations. Volunteering could include delivering prescriptions or helping the food bank or other local essential community schemes.
- Government up-date regarding the Coronavirus can be found here.
- Coronavirus updates Find the latest local and national coronavirus updates affecting Northamptonshire on the link below. This includes health advice and guidance, changes to council services and events, and support available for businesses and educational settings.
https://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/coronavirus-updates/Pages/default.aspx
- Spratton Youth Club: Spratton’s Youth Club is up and running click here for the Youth Club’s timetable.
- Spratton Parish Council currently have vacancies for Councillors. If you would like to apply to become a Councillor please click here.
General Notices
- The Chairman of the Parish Council is Cllr John Hunt.
- The Parish Clerk/RFO is Mrs Emma Gibson.
- Tel No: 07715 651904.
- Email: clerk@sprattonpc.org.uk
- Highways Issues eg Potholes. Please report online at streetdoctor
- Street lighting Issues. Please report to Parish Clerk on the e-mail or telephone details above.
