21 December 2020

Date: 21 December 2020

2020 will be remembered for many reasons – a large number of which we would probably rather forget. It is certainly a year in which we have had to stay focussed on many critical, but changing, circumstances and messages. Often these messages could be quite literally a matter of life or death for some and the last 48 hours are no exception. Over the weekend, we saw the relaxation of the rules over Christmas tightened again, we learned a little more about the new strain of the Coronavirus and its rapid growth. Sadly, we also saw infection rates in some areas of North Yorkshire growing in a very worrying way once again. Many of us no doubt found ourselves trying to digest what it all means for us as individuals once more and I know lots of you will be wrestling with what to do for the best over the festive season. It’s true there are many rules, a lot of guidance and much advice – but the basics remain every bit as important today as they did in March – hands, face, space and let fresh air in. They may be simple, but they are extremely effective in containing the virus and this Christmas it is more important than ever that we make the right choices about who we see and how close we get. Whatever the strain, we know covid thrives indoors and spreads between us most virulently when we let our guard down – when we get too close. So whatever your plans are for the Christmas Day window please, don’t accidently give the virus a free pass. Not having symptoms doesn’t mean you aren’t carrying it, or that you can’t spread it, or accidentally harm someone you love by passing it to them unknowingly.

I appreciate this is not the Christmas message you hoped for, but we really are heading into a difficult place again if we don’t work together to get infection rates down here in North Yorkshire. Once again, the most rapid increase is taking place along the coast, with Filey, Whitby and Scarborough town all seeing more cases. A great deal of effort is under way across a number of partner agencies to help to support the fight here. Increased testing capacity, targeted messaging and staff out and about in communities talking to people and businesses about how they can continue to play their part. It is understandably frustrating for so many of you who are sticking to the rules, and our colleagues in the police continue to support your efforts by undertaking enforcement where that is necessary. Even this weekend dozens of fines were issued to people visiting York and North Yorkshire from tier three areas. To be clear, while the travel guidance between tiers is just that, people who live in Tier 3 take the Tier 3 restrictions with them wherever they go. This means they cannot come into North Yorkshire and dine in our cafés and restaurants. Famous for our fantastic hospitality sector and hearty welcome, I am afraid for now our county must protect its people and businesses by making sure we comply with these rules.

In better news, within just a few days now we will have 12 vaccine sites across the county. Some of you will already have been called for your first dose. Our health colleagues are doing a fantastic job and we can help them by being patient and waiting to be contacted when it’s our turn. By not contacting the surgery, we free up more time for the NHS to treat people and administer the vaccines as they get them. This is a huge and complex programme, which will take months, not weeks to complete, so patience and understanding will be really important and will make their jobs much easier.

Today is the shortest day of what no doubt feels like the longest year, but we have achieved a great deal to be proud of together. January and February delivered us four weeks of storms and floods, these in turn led to some significant infrastructure issues, most notably the collapse of a section of the A19 – a huge and complex repair job requiring expertise and massive resources from our highways team. We have battled two waves of pandemic, kept our schools open to support key

OFFICIAL - SENSITIVE Team North Yorkshire bulletin update workers, looked after our most frail residents, supported our neighbours with community and voluntary sector partners and kept our spirits up and heads held high – as we do in North Yorkshire. These huge and unrelenting challenges serve to drive home the importance of needing scale and strength to lead, coordinate and respond to multiple difficult challenges. As we head into 2021, we will not be leaving these demands behind us and we will need all our resolve, experience and resources about us.

All of this has brought home to us very vividly the importance of having a strong county council for everyone in North Yorkshire, of empowered partnership working and of preserving the integrity of our county and its brand and values. Next year will be a critical one for local government here as ministers consider how best to reorganise public service delivery here to pave the way for a devolution deal. We firmly believe that we have demonstrated this year, like no other, why scale and resilience are crucial in delivering outstanding services alongside dynamic partnership work and effective emergency response.

Thank you for playing your part in the most challenging of times. I wish you a peaceful and restful festive period and hope you stay safe and well.

NYCC’s website has a dedicated area for all the latest news, see links below:

• COVID-19 related news: https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/coronavirus-advice-and-information • Devolution/Stronger Together: https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/stronger-together

North Yorkshire Coronavirus Data

At 20 December, there have been 15,198 positive tests since 3 March, with 777 new cases reported in the past week. The locality with the highest 7-day rate is currently Scarborough district, where the rate is currently 253.8 cases per 100,000 people. This remains below the England 7-day rate of 282.2 cases per 100,000. Work continues to ensure effective monitoring of all areas, with support for incidents being provided across a range of settings, which are reviewed daily. We are working with our partners across North Yorkshire, and particularly in Scarborough, to implement interventions that will help to bring the number of cases down.

Further information on North Yorkshire data provided at county, district and local area level can be found here: https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/coronavirus-data.

Making a Christmas bubble with friends and family

Many of us will have tuned into the Prime Minister’s statement on Saturday afternoon to hear that London and the South East of England are now in Tier 4, and there has been a change to the Christmas bubble guidance. North Yorkshire remains in Tier 2, meaning that we can form Christmas bubbles on Christmas Day only.

If you have coronavirus symptoms or are currently self-isolating, you must not form a Christmas bubble. These rules are the law and you must follow them even if it means not meeting with friends or family for Christmas Day. If a member of your Christmas bubble tests positive for coronavirus or develops coronavirus symptoms on 25 December, or up to 48 hours after members of the bubble last met, all members of the bubble must self-isolate as if they were members of the same household.

OFFICIAL - SENSITIVE Team North Yorkshire bulletin update

In areas in Tiers 1 to 3, including North Yorkshire, you may see a maximum of two other households (your ‘Christmas bubble’) on Christmas Day (25 December). You cannot see anyone from a Tier 4 area. You should think very carefully about the risks and only form a Christmas bubble if you feel you absolutely need to. Wherever possible, discuss alternatives to meeting up in person.

You can only form a Christmas bubble if you do not live in a Tier 4 area. If you are permitted to form a Christmas bubble and choose to do so:

• Keep your Christmas bubble as small as possible. Two other households is a maximum, not a target • Do not join a Christmas bubble with anyone from a Tier 4 area • Stop all unnecessary social contact outside your immediate household as soon as possible and for at least five days before you meet other households in your bubble • Only meet your Christmas bubble in private homes or in your garden, places of worship, or public outdoor spaces • Only see your bubble on Christmas Day. Do not stay overnight and keep your visits as short as possible • Stay local where possible. Avoid travelling from a high prevalence to a low prevalence area • Only meet people who are not in your Christmas bubble outside your home according to the rules in the tier you live in (unless coming from a lower to a higher tier) and do not meet socially with friends and family that you do not live with in your home or garden unless they are part of your Christmas bubble

When seeing your Christmas bubble, you should keep taking steps to reduce the spread of the virus. This includes meeting outdoors where possible, ensuring indoor spaces get as much fresh air as possible, making space between members of different households wherever you can, washing your hands regularly and for 20 seconds, and following rules on self-isolation if you develop symptoms or test positive for coronavirus.

You must not visit another household if you, or anyone in your household, is feeling unwell or self- isolating. You should get a free test if you have symptoms, have been asked to by your local council or your hospital, or are taking part in a government pilot project.

Meeting your Christmas bubble indoors

If someone is in your Christmas bubble, you can visit each other’s homes on 25 December, but must not stay overnight. You can also go to a place of worship together, or meet in public outdoor spaces. You cannot meet your Christmas bubble in any other indoor setting, such as a pub, hotel, shop, theatre, or restaurant. In these settings, rules on who you can and cannot meet depend on your tier.

Do not meet with friends and family that you do not live with in your home or garden unless they are part of your Christmas bubble. You can continue to meet people who are not in your Christmas bubble outside your home according to the rules in the tier you live in, but should aim to minimise all non-essential contact. If you travel to a tier with stricter rules than the one you have come from, you should follow the stricter rules that are in place.

There are specific guidelines for those who have chosen to form a different Christmas bubble from the people they normally live with, and for those who choose not to form a Christmas bubble.

We know that it’s easier to catch and spread the virus in an indoor space, especially if there is little flow of fresh air. Therefore, when meeting your Christmas bubble you should take these measures to prevent the spread of the virus:

• keep your visits short because the risk of transmission increases the longer you stay • wash your hands frequently

OFFICIAL - SENSITIVE Team North Yorkshire bulletin update

• clean touch points regularly, such as door handles and surfaces • keep socially distanced from anybody you do not live with as much as possible • make sure you let as much fresh air in as you can during a visit and after visitors have left, without getting cold, by opening windows and doors

People may continue to work in other people’s homes where necessary, such as for nannies, cleaners or tradespeople. To reduce risk, they should observe social distancing wherever possible, and where it can be avoided should not go into homes that are hosting Christmas bubbles.

It is vital that we each take personal responsibility this Christmas to limit the spread of the virus and protect our loved ones, particularly if they are vulnerable. One in three people with coronavirus (COVID-19) has no symptoms and will be spreading it without realising, so the safest way to celebrate Christmas this year is with your household or existing support bubble in your home. The more people you see, the more likely it is that you will catch or spread coronavirus.

Children and Families service – Christmas packs Our Children and Families staff have worked really hard getting Christmas packs out to families they are supporting. They have sent out 450 packs in just one week, which is a fantastic achievement. The packs were developed in partnership with Children and Families Early Help, the Library Service and the Grow and Learn project.

They include Christmas activities, games, information on food banks, community and voluntary support over the festive period and information from the Adult Learning and Skills Service.

Local businesses and Yorwaste donated toys to complement the packs. The Rotary Club also funded a card and stamp so children in the east of the county could send a Christmas message to someone special they may not have seen for a while.

This has been a great team effort to spread some Christmas cheer to families who are struggling this year.

Testing Testing sites in North Yorkshire, as elsewhere in England, are operated and managed by the Department of Health and Social Care and private contractors employed by them. We try to help the department by promoting the Mobile Testing Site locations and hosting information on how people with symptoms can book a test via the national government portal. We do not manage the national booking system or laboratory testing process. Indications are that lab testing capacity is improving but, if you are unable to book a test at a local site straight away, please keep checking as availability varies during the day. We are also supporting the Department in asking the public only to get a test if they are directed to do so by NHS Test and Trace or other NHS services – OR – if they have symptoms, to ensure that those people who need tests the most can be prioritised. Testing sites will continue to be in operation every day across the Christmas and New Year period. Before you attend you must book a test. Tests can be booked from 8pm the night before.

Testing sites operated and managed by the Department of Health and Social Care will be running at the following locations over the coming days between 11am and 3pm:

• Every day - Harrogate - Dragon Road Car Park, Dragon Road, Harrogate, HG1 5DB

OFFICIAL - SENSITIVE Team North Yorkshire bulletin update

• Every day - Scarborough - William Street Car Park, Scarborough. YO12 7PL • Every day - Northallerton – The Forum, Bullamore Road, Northallerton, DL6 1LP • Every day - Selby – Portholme car park, Crescent Carpark, Selby, YO8 4QH • Every day - Skipton - Cavendish Street Car Park, Skipton, BD23 1RP

• Tuesday 22 December - Sherburn in Elmet - Pasture Way Carpark, Sherburn in Elmet, LS25 6LY • Tuesday 22 December - Filey - Filey Country Park, Church Cliff Drive, Filey, YO14 9ET • Tuesday 22 December - Catterick - Catterick Race Course, Catterick Bridge, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire, DL10 7PE • Tuesday 22 December - Thornton Le Dale - National Trust Car Park, No.5. Chestnut Avenue, Thornton Le Dale, Pickering, YO18 7RR • Wednesday 23 December - Scarborough - Scarborough Park and Ride, Seamer Road, Scarborough, YO12 4LW • Wednesday 23 December - Ripon - Coach Park, 3 Moss Arcade, Ripon, HG4 1AG • Wednesday 23 December - Settle - Greenfoot Car Park, Settle, BD24 9RW • Thursday 24 December - Whitby - Whitby Marina Car Park, Langbourne Road, Whitby, YO21 1YW • Thursday 24 December - Malton - Wentworth Street Car Park, Smithson Ct, Malton, YO17 7BQ • Saturday 26 December - Selby - South Entrance, DRAX Power Station, New Road, Selby, YO8 8PH • Saturday 26 December - Settle - Greenfoot Car Park, Settle, BD24 9RW • Saturday 26 December - Filey - Filey Country Park, Church Cliff Drive, Filey, YO14 9ET • Sunday 27 December - Scarborough - Scarborough Park and Ride, Seamer Road, Scarborough, YO12 4LW • Sunday 27 December - Richmond - Round Howe car park, Reeth Road, Richmond, DL10 4TL • Sunday 27 December - Thirsk - Millgate Car Park, Marage Road, Thirsk, YO7 1PE • Sunday 27 December - Whitby - Whitby Marina Car Park, Langbourne Road, Whitby, YO21 1YW • Monday 28 December - Selby - South Entrance, DRAX Power Station, New Road, Selby, YO8 8PH • Monday 28 December - Whitby - Whitby Marina Car Park, Langbourne Road, Whitby, YO21 1YW • Monday 28 December - Filey - Filey Country Park, Church Cliff Drive, Filey, YO14 9ET • Tuesday 29 December - Sherburn in Elmet - Pasture Way Carpark, Sherburn in Elmet, LS25 6LY • Tuesday 29 December - Filey - Filey Country Park, Church Cliff Drive, Filey, YO14 9ET • Tuesday 29 December - Thornton Le Dale - National Trust Car Park, No.5. Chestnut Avenue, Thornton Le Dale, Pickering, YO18 7RR • Tuesday 29 December - Catterick - Catterick Race Course, Catterick Bridge, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire, DL10 7PE • Wednesday 30 December - Scarborough - Scarborough Park and Ride, Seamer Road, Scarborough, YO12 4LW • Wednesday 30 December - Settle - Greenfoot Car Park, Settle, BD24 9RW • Thursday 31 December - Whitby - Whitby Marina Car Park, Langbourne Road, Whitby, YO21 1YW • Thursday 31 December - Filey - Filey Country Park, Church Cliff Drive, Filey, YO14 9ET • Thursday 31 December - Malton - Wentworth Street Car Park, Smithson Ct, Malton, YO17 7BQ • Saturday 2 January - Selby - South Entrance, DRAX Power Station, New Road, Selby, YO8 8PH • Saturday 2 January - Settle - Greenfoot Car Park, Settle, BD24 9RW • Saturday 2 January - Filey - Filey Country Park, Church Cliff Drive, Filey, YO14 9ET

OFFICIAL - SENSITIVE Team North Yorkshire bulletin update

• Sunday 3 January - Scarborough - Scarborough Park and Ride, Seamer Road, Scarborough, YO12 4LW • Sunday 3 January - Richmond - Round Howe car park, Reeth Road, Richmond, DL10 4TL • Sunday 3 January - Thirsk - Millgate Car Park, Marage Road, Thirsk, YO7 1PE • Sunday 3 January - Whitby - Whitby Marina Car Park, Langbourne Road, Whitby, YO21 1YW

Watch this video to find out what to expect and how to prepare for the test: https://youtu.be/QawyKwIIfKQ

See the latest dates and locations, find out more and how to book at www.northyorks.gov.uk/testing

We have been in close contact with schools and other educational settings following the Government announcement that students’ return to secondary school and colleges in January will be staggered.

Full-time, remote education will be put in place during the first week of term, with face-to-face education beginning on January 11.

Students in exam year groups – Years 11 and 13 – as well as vulnerable children and children of critical workers will be attending school or college in person from the start of term, the week beginning January 4. Also returning the week beginning January 4 as usual, will be students attending special schools and pupil referral services.

Vocational exams scheduled for the week of January 4 will also go ahead as planned. Schools have informed parents of the local arrangements via their messaging services.

For several months now, North Yorkshire’s schools have had arrangements in place to allow teaching to take place online as part of their response to the pandemic and this will be used for those affected year groups during the first week of term.

We are also preparing a webinar to take place with all our secondary and special schools on January 4, which will cover the latest Government announcements, including the proposal to allow schools and colleges to offer testing of students after Christmas.

The County Council’s customer service centre will act as an emergency community support line every day from 9am to 5pm on 01609 780780 throughout the Christmas period. Team North Yorkshire volunteers will be on stand-by for anyone who needs help while many of the community support organisations take a much-needed and well-earned break.

For the last ten months, the County Council has been working with 23 community support organisations alongside partners and the voluntary sector to provide a safety net of support for people without family, friends or neighbours to lean on.

Calls to our customer service centre for help and support more than doubled during the November restrictions, and since March volunteers have given an incredible 81,878 hours to support people up and down the county with shopping, collecting medication and other essentials.

OFFICIAL - SENSITIVE Team North Yorkshire bulletin update

With the help of these amazing volunteers over 23,000 befriending calls have been made, more than 25,000 bags of shopping have been delivered and almost 15,000 prescriptions collected during the Covid pandemic.

Since March, over 1,030 Covid-19 support grant scheme awards have also been made through the community support organisations, providing financial assistance to pay for food and household essentials during isolation. The majority of applicants have long-term health conditions or weakened immune systems and 49% of applications are from residents in the Scarborough area. The help provided through the community support organisation network will continue into 2021.

People who need support with shopping, prescriptions and other essentials but don’t have anyone to call on over Christmas, or anyone concerned about the welfare of someone else, can contact the County Council’s emergency community support line on 01609 780780. The customer service centre will be closed to all routine queries between Christmas Day and 28 December, then again on New Year’s Day. Otherwise, normal opening times apply.

People can also contact us by email or live chat at www.northyorks.gov.uk/contactus Residents are being urged to check on their friends, family and neighbours, particularly if they helped someone during the first or second lockdown.

To find local businesses offering food deliveries and takeaways, go to the Buy Local directory at www.northyorks.gov.uk/buy-local

People can also find details of local voluntary and community groups offering support at www.northyorkshireconnect.org.uk

For more information about the help available go to www.northyorks.gov.uk/coronavirus

LEP News: Coronavirus Business Support Schemes Extended

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been further extended until the end of April 2021. This means that furloughed employees will continue to receive 80% of their usual salary for hours not worked until the end of April.

Additionally, the following schemes have been extended until March 30:

• Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme • Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme • Bounce Back Loan Scheme

The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme will have a fourth grant made available from February to April 2021.

Read more: https://gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-extends-furlough-and-loan-schemes

UK Trader Scheme launched to support businesses moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland

Traders who want to declare goods not ‘at risk’ from 1 January 2021 will need to apply for authorisation by 31 December 2020. Traders will be granted a provisional authorisation for a period of up to four months while HMRC processes their applications.

The government’s £200 million Trader Support Service (TSS) also provides education and guidance on ‘at risk’ goods for NI and GB businesses. To register for the TSS, visit www.tradersupportservice.co.uk

OFFICIAL - SENSITIVE Team North Yorkshire bulletin update

York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub Webinars

Start 2021 by supercharging your skills as our series of insightful webinars built to better your business continues:

Branding Master class: Making your business stand out - Creating a powerful brand

5 & 12 January, 12 noon

Delivered by Rachel Goddard, managing director of Intandem Communications, this two-part, creative and interactive master class will focus on the thinking behind creating a powerful brand so it generates impact for your business.

It will be an interactive session conducted on Zoom, with discussion and full participation encouraged. Delegates will be invited to submit their own ideas and thinking between sessions one and two for feedback.

In the first master class session you will learn:

• What is a powerful brand? • Brand values and behaviour • Identifying the power behind your brand • Unlocking the brand personality and the spirit of your business Booking link: https://www.ynygrowthhub.com/events/creating-a-powerful-brand/

Leadership Series: Leading through Change and Adversity: 6 January, 12 noon

Our popular leadership series, delivered by employee engagement specialist Michelle Mook, is back in the New Year. The first webinar will provide support to leaders and managers who are leading through change and need to achieve buy-in and commitment.

In this one-hour workshop, you will learn:

• Behaviours and emotional impact of change • A Strategy for change that helps lead others and get successful buy-in • Creating a compelling vision for change Booking link: https://www.ynygrowthhub.com/events/leadership-series-leading-through-change- and-adversity-2/

Staying informed

As always, we are keen to promote the following as main sources of business support information:

• GOVERNMENT: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support • Y&NY LEP: https://www.businessinspiredgrowth.com/covid-19/ • Y&NY GROWTH HUB: https://www.ynygrowthhub.com/how-we-can-help/coronavirus/

OFFICIAL - SENSITIVE