Coronavirus updates
The Corona Virus epidemic is making changes to all of our lives, and following the cirrent advice isn't always easy - but it is important to do so as much as we can.
There are many local organisations gathering to offer help, if you are self-isolating and need help, or simply need to speak to a friendly voice.
We will be publishing details of local organisations as we hear of them:
Teignbridge Council website is a good place to start if you have any questions
and Devon County Council have information about schools and more.
The latest medical advice from the NHS is here.
Local councillors are working with the organisations locally to help, so please contact your local councillor if you need help.
How you can help others
If you would like to help your neighbours, our community and those vulnerable, we recommend the following in the first instance:
- Let your nearest neighbours, maybe the nearest 5 - 10 know your contact details so that they can call you if they need help. You will be someone known to them, a familiar face rather than a stranger. (Sadly we must still be aware of safeguarding concerns even at this time).
- Set up or join street level or Resident's Association level WhatsApp groups, Google Groups, Private Facebook Groups or email chains to help connect those offering help with those needing help at a micro level. Some have already done this (particularly Residents' Associations), and they are the optimum way of turning offers into action.
- Some of the existing facebook groups we know of in Newton Abbot Town are Our Fairways, Hele Park Community, Jetty Marsh Residents Group, Orleigh Cross Residents Group, Buckland Estate and Proud of It, and Newton AbbotCovid-19 Mutual Aid - Other towns and villages have set up similar groups
- Do not buy too much produce or goods. Those that are most vulnerable are left even more vulnerable if our stores are bare of the essentials. Several supermarkets have over 70's only shopping hours, check their websites.
- Donate to foodbanks. Panic buying has led to a reduction in the number of donations to local foodbanks when they need them more than ever, so please do donate what you can. Many people on lower incomes or zero hour contracts are likely to struggle more now than ever. If you are self-isolating and wish to help you can donate online to both foodbanks.
- HITS Foodbank https://hitsfoodbank.org/contact-us/ info@hitsfoodbank.org Tel 01626 906371 (Hits Food Bank are looking for more volunteers especially evening drivers)
- THAT Foodbank https://www.thatfoodbank.com/ mailto:thatfoodbank@gmail.com Tel 01626 437310 (THAT need more volunteers and donations)
Helping us to help you
As councillors we want to assist in facilitating resources where we can, by putting together a resource list, but we need your help to do so.
Please send us details of the local street/community communication group or mailing list you have setup, as well as a primary contact for this group so that we can direct people that contact us or known vulnerable residents to it if they are in your area.
Contact us if:
- you are a community or volunteer group and would like our support in any way;
- you are a local business or trader that is helping as part of your business, such as with local deliveries.
- Please let us have any information about the community response to the coronavirus, that you would like us to share in our next email newsletter. Please shae this email with others.
We cannot cover everything in this post, so will try to answer any questions on things we have missed as we can, however, please appreciate that some of our councillors are already, or are likely to be self isolating themselves as well.
Please do always take the NHS and Government's advice as the primary source of information and recommendation for how to act in the coming weeks:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response
Other help can be found at,
CAB citizensadviceteignbridge.org.uk Tel 0344 411 1444
Federation of Small Businesses https://www.fsb.org.uk/ Tel 0808 20 20 888
We will provide you updates on this as regularly as we can.
Thank you,
News...
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Article: Mar 24, 2020
Ed Davey challenges government to roll out support package for self-employed
Today Ed Davey, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats, challenged the Chancellor to "move as fast as possible" to roll out a financial support package for the five million self-employed people in the UK.
In an Urgent Question in the House of Commons, Ed Davey highlighted that the self-employed, who are excluded from current financial support for businesses and employees, are under "real stress" and are "literally running out of money" as a result of the coronavirus crisis.
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Article: Mar 24, 2020
Last week, the Government set out a package of financial measures to support UK workers, highlighting just how threatening coronavirus is to our economy and our society.
As soon as these measures were announced, Liberal Democrats stated our concerns that far too little was being provided to help the self-employed through this crisis. Days later, and no new support has been announced by the Government.
There are five million self-employed people in the UK. These are our construction workers, our childminders and our delivery drivers.
Each day that we fail to take action to protect the self-employed, millions of people remain worried and unsure of how they are going to support themselves or their families. Leaving them with no reliable safety net is unacceptable.
Ministers cannot keep hiding from the insecurity these individuals have been put in by the coronavirus crisis. It is not good enough to say it is "operationally difficult" to pay them.
The Liberal Democrats have put down amendments to the Government's coronavirus legislation to support the self-employed. They are:
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increasing the weekly rate of Statutory Sick Pay from £94.25 to £220
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guaranteeing 80% of self-employed individuals' earnings, up to £35,000
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Article: Mar 23, 2020
Today, MPs will debate the Government's emergency Coronavirus Bill.
The Coronavirus crisis is an unprecedented threat, leaving the most vulnerable in our communities at risk. People across the country are rightly worried about their loved ones. This is a national emergency and emergency powers are clearly necessary to keep individuals and communities safe from the virus.
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Article: Mar 23, 2020
The Government's analysis shows that they lead to higher rates of reoffending than community sentences. The President of the Prison Governors Association has described them as "pointless". They need to end for both men and women.
But we also need to recognise that prison is especially damaging for women.
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Article: Mar 23, 2020
It's been just weeks since Brexit ended my brief term as an MEP, but today I'm very happy to announce that I've been elected as Chair of the Federal People Development Committee.
I wouldn't be where I am today without the outstanding training and support offered by the party.
Like many of you reading this, I'm a relative newcomer to politics and to the Lib Dems. I joined in 2016, so I think I bring a fresh perspective to this role as a newbie. I'm eager to help the party expand and improve on its strategy, structures and processes for recruiting, engaging and activating members.
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Article: Mar 23, 2020
By Liberal Democrats
Lib Dems move to ensure Goverment pay out to keep children learning
On Saturday, we tabled an amendment to the Coronavirus Bill which makes clear the Government must pay schools and colleges "whatever it costs" so that children can keep learning if schools stay shut for several months.
Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Layla Moran, a former teacher, has warned if some schools continue to deliver lessons and others don't it will be a "disaster for social mobility."
The proposals from the Liberal Democrats includes creating a duty on schools and colleges to ensure that pupils - whether at home or on-site - continue to receive an education, accepting that schools are unlikely to be able to cover the national curriculum.
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Article: Mar 21, 2020
Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination - and this year, the importance of this day has been brought into stark focus more than ever before.
The Liberal Democrats will always fight for freedom, fairness and equality for people of all races and ethnicities in the UK.
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Article: Mar 20, 2020
We can all make a difference - each and every one of us.
One of the many things that unites Liberal Democrats is our campaigning zeal for our communities. Our drive to change things for the better. A way of working that engages local people in our campaigns.
Today, I'm asking you to turn your campaigning zeal wholeheartedly towards helping your community during this Coronavirus crisis.
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Article: Mar 20, 2020
I hope this message finds you and your loved ones safe and well. What a concerning and worrying time we are in.
My mind boggles with the logistical challenge facing our education system
Today millions of students are leaving the schools gates for an indefinite period to help halt the spread of the coronavirus.
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Article: Mar 20, 2020
Welcome to the Weekly Whip. Your one-stop shop for Lib Dem Parliamentary updates, covering the week that was and the week to come.
For up to date information from the Lib Dem Whips Office, follow us on Twitter: @LibWhips
Weekly Whip w/c 16th March
It has been a strange week in Parliament, as I am sure it has been in all workplaces. The week was broken up by the announcement that employees should be working from home unless they have an explicit reason not to. Most Parliamentary staff are now rightly working from home. Business in the House continues, and we expect it to continue into next week when both Houses will debate the emergency legislation.
"Changing Britain's Future: no one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity"
Liberal Democrat Constitution
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