Ceredigion County Council

• Stay Home, Save Lives: The weather improves over the weekend. We know that it would be delightful to enjoy Ceredigion at its best, but there will be an opportunity to enjoy it at a later date. By staying home, you will help reduce the number of people infected from the coronavirus.

  Thank you for enjoying the weather at home and staying safe.

• Coronavirus: Update to the Waste Services

• Video Conferencing facilities at Ceredigion Care Homes

• Support for those receiving Free School Meals
• Here is an information video on how children and young people can look after thier mental health and well-being during the Coronavirus. 
• Here is a pamphlet on looking after your mental health and well-being during the Coronavirus - 7 steps for children and young people. 

• Palm Sunday 

Ceredigion County Council is kindly asking that you do not visit the county’s cemeteries in the lead up to, or on Palm Sunday itself, due to the need to avoid all but essential travel at this time.

Whilst we acknowledge the importance of the tradition of placing flowers on the graves of loved ones to keep their memories alive, we also need to emphasise that it would not be appropriate or safe to do so this year because of the risks posed by Coronavirus.

As much as we would all want to carry on with this tradition and display of love towards those close to us that we have lost, we cannot put our or other people's health at risk. Stay at Home, Save Lives. Stay apart to play your part.

• Porth Cymorth Cynnar supporting the vulnerable in the community
• Keeping your distance in shops now a legal requirement in Wales
• Sections of Ceredigion Coastal path temporarily closed

• Volunteering in Ceredigion

• Postponement of Police and Crime Commissioner Elections: The UK Government has postponed the May 2020 Police Crime Commissioner elections due to COVID-19. The election will now be held on 6 May 2021.

• Use of three facilities in Ceredigion agreed in response to COVID-19

Ceredigion County Council and Hywel Dda University Health Board (UHB) are working together in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more here. 

• Payments: Ceredigion County Council is endeavouring to make payments as normal during these challenging times. Whenever possible priority will be given to the small businesses, organisations and individuals that rely on regular payments from the Council for example, those in the care and transport sectors. Payments-related enquiries should be emailed to df.payments@ceredigion.gov.uk

• Information Hub for Families and Children by the Children's Commissioner for Wales. Included is a range of age appropriate advice and guidance, some learning resources, fun activities and also a FAQs section. The content is updated daily so remember to check back in.

• Coronavirus: We are closing parts of the Coastal Path in Ceredigion

• Coronavirus: Porth Cymorth Cynnar supporting the vulnerable in Ceredigion

• Coronavirus: Support available for Ceredigion businesses affected In response to the Coronavirus outbreak, a range of measures to support businesses and workers have been made available by the UK and Welsh Government, these include:
  • Business Rate Relief
  • Business grants
  • Business Support services
  • Access to finance
  • Support for employees
  Read more here

• Support towards paying your Council Tax

• Ceredigion Registration Service

  In accordance with the Government’s latest announcement on 23 March 2020, birth registration appointments are now deferred until further notice.

  Please be advised that a claim for child benefit or universal credit can now be made prior to the birth being registered. Further information can be found here.

• Your eyes and ears are needed

Individuals and communities are working together across Ceredigion to help those most in need. As with any crisis though, coronavirus offers opportunities to the unscrupulous to exploit the vulnerable. If you or your community group become aware that anyone is at risk of falling victim to scams, then we need your help in cracking down on them. Read more here. 

• Accessing Ceredigion's Coast and Countryside

• Resources for children
• Contacting the Council
• The County's play areas to close

• Ceredigion Registration Service: We wish to reassure you that we will continue to undertake death and birth registrations at our Aberystwyth and Aberaeron* offices until we are directed otherwise. Registrations will strictly be by pre-arranged appointment only. Please telephone 01970 633580 to arrange an appointment. *The Aberaeron office will temporarily be relocating to Neuadd Cyngor Ceredigion Penmorfa from 23 March

• Public Health Wales statement on Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 22 March 2020.
• The advice to parents is very clear. Keep your children at home. Use our Childcare centres only in an emergency, and only if you work in the emergency or care services. Please make all other possible arrangements before using these centres, this is for everybody’s health and well-being. 5 things you need to know.
• The latest on caravan and camping sites. 
• Challenges arising from sudden surge in tourism.

• Visitors to Council run Residential Homes: All visitors to the Council run Residential Care Homes stopped until further notice.  
• Childcare provision for frontline service workers in Ceredigion – update 21^st March 2020
• Aberystwyth Farmers Market will be open on Saturday, 21 March for the last time until further notice. 

• A number of measures are being put in place for the waste service. 
• As of the end of the day on Friday, 20 March, the arrangements for pay and display at Ceredigion County Council operated car parks will be suspended until further notice.
• Ceredigion Free School Meal provision: A supermarket voucher will be provided to all pupils currently receiving free school meals. Vouchers will either be emailed or posted to parents/guardians.
• Childcare provision for front-line service workers in Ceredigion.
• Council offices close to the public at the end of the day, Friday, 20 March.
• Cash Offices close at the end of the day, Friday, 20 March. Payments such as Council tax can be made by phone 01545 570881 or online www.ceredigion.gov.uk.
• Libraries close at the end of the day, Friday, 20 March. There will be no fines for late books to Ceredigion libraries for three months.

• Coronavirus 19.03.2020 update
• All Ceredigion schools will close from the end of the school day on Friday, 20 March 2020.

The following areas are closed until further notice:

• Ceredigion Museum.
• Theatr Felinfach.
• Ceredigion Archives.
• Cered, Welsh language initiative.
• Tourist Information Centres.
• Leisure Centres and Swimming Pools: no monthly Direct Debit payments will be collected from Ceredigion Actif members until further notice. There is no need to cancel your Direct Debit. Ceredigion Actif will place a freeze on all accounts until the Centres and Pools re-open.

• List of Resources in Ceredigion 
• A message from Ceredigion County Council Leader, Councillor Ellen ap Gwynn
• Ysgol Penweddig is closed today for precautionary measures. As a member of staff showed symptoms, the advice has been to close the school and deep clean today, Tuesday, 18 March. It is intended to reopen the school tomorrow, 19 March.
• Ysgol Cei Newydd School is closed today and tomorrow, 18 and 19 March for the safety of pupils and staff, due to a lack of staff.
• Theatr Felinfach, Ceredigion Museum, Ceredigion Archives, CERED, Aberystwyth & Aberaeron Tourist Information Centre are closed.

• Coronavirus 17.03.2020 update.
• Following COBRA advice, those aged 70 or older, those with chronic illness and those who are pregnant are advised to work from home.
• NERS activities will not be held. 

• Out of county meetings and all training sessions that are not deemed essential have been cancelled. We are conducting increasing number of meetings through teleconference and other digital means.
• Enhanced cleaning is undertaken in schools where staff or children are showing symptoms and where required, the school is closed for cleaning. 
• The mobile library service will stop for the foreseeable future.
• Those who are self-isolating are advised to double bag their waste.

• Day Centres close. Read more here.
• A checklist has been sent to Head teachers in schools. This includes links to Public Health Wales advice, posters and Hwb.
• The Canteens at Penmorfa, Aberaeron and Canolfan Rheidol, Aberystwyth have been closed for the foreseeable future. This is in order to ensure resilience within the workforce to support services for our most vulnerable service users.
• Porth Y Gymuned will keep in contact with vulnerable individuals.
• Police and Crime Commissioner Election postponed.

• Staff, including those in Schools, Unit Resource Centres and Care Homes are provided with advice, guidance and, where appropriate, protective equipment and safety products.
• A protocol developed for Ceredigion Residential Care Homes, stopping interaction with children, activities and entertainment providers, with immediate effect, and providing warning of the potential for visiting to be restricted in the coming weeks.
• Refuse collectors are reminded to wear the appropriate gloves and clothing at all times.

• The Ceredigion County Council COVID-19 Gold Command meets weekly with sub-groups meeting daily to discuss the developments of Coronavirus and how best to deal with the developing situation.