June 19: Coronavirus (Covid-19) update from Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

We continue to work within a well-established set of structures governing how agencies work together to respond to keep people safe and well-informed during a major incident. As we are in a relatively stable way of working, we now provide weekly updates on the last working day of the week.

I am also keen to remind people of the help and support that the Council is providing during this incredibly challenging time.

Council meetings

Following a virtual meeting of the Cabinet yesterday, all Council meetings will now resume on a virtual basis until further notice.

Family Hubs

Our four Family Hubs - Billingham, Redhill, Stockton and Thornaby - will reopen for a limited range of services from Wednesday, July 1. We'll bring you more details of timetables and arrangements nearer the time and you can keep up to date with what's going on via their Facebook pages.

Help for care providers

We continue to work very closely with all of the Borough's care homes, domiciliary care providers and many individual personal assistants and informal carers, who look after some of our most vulnerable residents. They are doing an absolutely phenomenal job. We are in daily contact with many of the homes and care providers and are supporting them as they continue to operate in extremely challenging circumstances.

Help for parents/carers of children attending school

All our primary schools are open for children of key workers, vulnerable children and where possible for children in nursery, reception, year 1 and year 6. Secondary schools and colleges have also begun to invite in year 10 and year 12 pupils to have contact with a tutor as of this week.

Help for the vulnerable and elderly

The 'COVID Community Support Team', a partnership between the Council, Catalyst and the Borough's brilliant VCSE organisations, continues to support vulnerable and elderly residents. Help ranges from food deliveries, shopping and picking up prescriptions to making sure people who are self-isolating and may be worried or lonely get the right support they need. The team operates Monday to Friday and phone lines are open 9am to 2pm. You can email covidcommunitysupport@catalyststockton.org for assistance or call 01642 524500.

Armed Forces Week

Next week is Armed Forces Week and we would usually have been marking the occasion with a series of events on Stockton High Street, starting with the flag raising ceremony on Monday. Unfortunately it is not possible to hold the event this year, but I'm delighted that we have created a virtual replacement including a virtual Sounding of the Retreat by the Durham Army Cadet Force. There'll be a series of posts throughout next week on our social media channels so please do take a look.

Keep informed

For updates on all Coronavirus (COVID-19) related developments in Stockton-on-Tees - including health advice and disruptions to services - visit the Council's dedicated webpage Our People.