To bring together communities through the losses suffered during Covid-19, a short candlelit vigil walk from the Millennium Square to the Mill Hill Chapel in City Square (Leeds) on the 23rd April, 2022 between 6-9pm.
Schedule:
6pm Meet on the steps of the Civic Hall in Millennium Square where Martin House Children’s Hospice choir will be performing. Civic leaders will be attending and opening our event.
Opening Speakers: Councillor Eileen Taylor; Councillor Sharon Burke; Councillor Abigail Marshall Katung; Councillor Mohammed Iqbal; Councillor Sharon Hamilton
7pm A candle lit walk stopping at significant places to pause and reflect, en route to City Square and finally into Mill Hill Chapel
8pm We will be gathering inside the chapel until 9pm (event finishes)
There will be a musical performance from: Sarah Yaseen & Mina Salama
Two online maps have been launched to help Blue Badge holders and other road users navigate around Leeds city centre as major road improvements are carried out and completed.
The disabled parking map shows the on-street locations where Blue Badge holders can park, with 111 spaces allocated across 21 different locations in the city centre. How to access the spaces and the direction of travel to them is shown on the map in blue, whilst the exit routes are shown in yellow. Everyone registered with the council as a Blue Badge holder will also receive a link to an online version of the and can request a physical copy of the map.
The second map shows which roads have restricted access and at what times. Where there are no restrictions at any time, roads are shown in green. However, others including The Headrow, Vicar Lane and Call Lane restrict access to certain road users at specific times of the day. For example, a large section of Vicar Lane is restricted to only buses, hackney carriages and cycles between 7am – 10am and between 4pm – 7pm.
The new restrictions will be enforced by cameras and Penalty Charge Notices will be issued for infringements. Some of the restrictions are already being enforced. Cameras for several of the new restrictions will be activated over the coming months and the public will be notified when new cameras are to be activated. All funds from this will be reinvested into making improvements to the Leeds transport network.
The maps have been created following discussions with stakeholders, to help ensure people can find their way around the city centre during the ongoing major improvements. These changes are part of the £173.5million Leeds Public Transport Investment Programme as part of Connecting Leeds, that aims to dramatically improve public transport and cycling and walking infrastructure across Leeds. It has been shaped from public consultations including the Transport Conversation in 2016, the City Centre consultation in 2018 and consultations on the Headrow and Corn Exchange improvements in 2019.
In these consultations, members of the public asked for:
priority for buses, pedestrians and cyclists above private vehicles
the retention of access routes to city centre public car parks and delivery routes for businesses
easy access for blue badge parking
bus gates to increase the reliability of buses travelling through the city centre (A ‘bus gate’ is a short section of road where access is restricted to buses, hackney carriages and pedal cycles only at certain times (as specified by the signage)).
enforceable and meaningful restrictions for private vehicle users
access maintained to important Leeds landmarks such as the first direct arena, the universities, Leeds General Infirmary, and Leeds Playhouse.
The maps will be further updated once future city centre improvement works have been delivered.
The local elections will take place 4 weeks from today on Thursday 5th May.
Poll cards are now being sent out to everyone currently registered to vote in this year’s elections for seats on Leeds City Council. Please check the details on your poll card when it arrives, and also note the location of the polling station which may have changed. For those wishing to vote in person at polling stations, all necessary Covid-19 precaution measures will be taken to ensure it can be done so safely.
If you are not registered, or if you have moved home and need to register your new address, this can be done by visiting https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. The deadline for registrations is Thursday 14 April.
Postal poll cards are also being sent to anyone currently registered to vote by post.
Anyone wishing to begin voting this way can apply to do so via https://www.leeds.gov.uk/your-council/elections/postal-voting. The deadline for new applications for postal voting is 5pm on Tuesday 19 April, but you are asked to apply as soon as possible to help manage demand.
Another option available is to vote by proxy, which can be applied for via www.leeds.gov.uk/elections. The deadline for applications to vote by proxy is 5pm on Tuesday 26 April.
The elections team can be contacted to address any issues using the helpline at 0113 222 4411 or by emailing electors@leeds.gov.uk.
If you pay your council tax by direct debit you don’t need to do anything, the £150 will be paid into your bank account by the end of April.
If you don’t pay by direct debit you will need to fill in a form to claim your rebate. This form will be available from today at leeds.gov.uk/energybillsrebate
You can choose to be paid directly, or to get £150 off this year’s council tax bill.
To complete the form, you will need:
an email address
your council tax account number
one proof of identity, such as passport, driving licence, bank statement or utility bill (this cannot be your council tax bill)
Bank details if you want the money paid into your bank.
If you are eligible but don’t pay any council tax because you get full council tax benefit support you will also need to claim via the form at leeds.gov.uk/energybillsrebate
If you need help to claim this you can get help at any of the councils Community Hubs from today.
You can also contact Caring Together for help to fill in the forms.
If you are not eligible for the rebate – for example if your house is in a higher band but you will be struggling to pay your bills there is some support available from a ‘discretionary fund’ and we should have more details on how you can access this soon.
On the second anniversary of the UK lockdown – a day to pause and reflect on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years and on the lives of those we have lost.
Whether a death is recent or long ago, and whether or not it was due to Covid-19, every year there are millions of people bereaved. The restrictions we’ve all been living under have meant that many people have had to grieve without friends and family around them.
At 12pm, there’ll be a minute’s silence and people are encouraged to come together to honour loved ones who have died and reflect on the challenges we’ve overcome by observing a nationwide minute of silence.
Civic buildings in Leeds will be lit up in yellow during the evening.
Next week Caring Together will be holding our ‘Nature Filled Spring Get Together. We will be coming together and creating our own small space of remembrance for loved ones no longer with us
Coronavirus – Support for people & communities – March 18, 2022
“Dear resident
We are writing to you this week against the backdrop of the crisis unfolding in Ukraine. Leeds has a long and proud history of helping those in need and we are doing everything we can to support the relief effort and welcome displaced Ukrainians to our city.
We recently launched the Leeds Together for Ukraine appeal, and the total is already approaching £70,000. Every donation will help to provide accommodation and support for Ukrainians who have lost their homes.
Thank you to all who have donated, and to our partners helping with the appeal. They include the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (Leeds branch), Migration Yorkshire and Leeds Community Foundation.
Another way you can help is by registering with the government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme if you are able to offer accommodation for at least six months.
We know however that closer to home the rising cost of living is a serious concern. We will outline below where to get advice if you are worried about money, as well as update you on the local coronavirus situation.
Helping you with money matters
With the rising cost of living putting pressure on household budgets, please remember there is support on hand if you are worried about managing your money and your fuel bills. Advice is free and confidential.
The 25 community hubs across Leeds provide information in person or by phone and can signpost you to other organisations in the city for assistance tailored to your specific circumstances.
If you need urgent help with paying for food, gas or electricity you can call our welfare support team on 0113 376 0330 Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm (from 10am on Wednesdays).
Subject to household eligibility, there is funding available for high quality attic insulation to keep homes warmer and cut energy bills. Find out the criteria and apply by 31 March.
Energy bills rebate and council tax
During April, we will pay the government energy bills rebate of £150 to most households in council tax bands A to D. If you pay by Direct Debit, the rebate will be paid directly into your bank account. If you use another payment method you must apply for the rebate by completing an online form, which will be available from 4 April. If you need help with the online form just ask at one of our community hubs.
Your council tax bill for 2022/23 includes more information about the rebate. Please read this carefully and keep your bill handy so you can find your council tax account number. You’ll need it if you have to claim the rebate or make any enquiries about your account.
Visit our webpage £150 council tax rebate to find out more and apply online once the form is live.
Living safely with Covid
The Covid-19 case rate in Leeds has reached 462 per 100K, a significant increase of over 50% in the past week. The case rate in England stands at 617 per 100K.
Whilst a rise in cases was likely as the lifting of restrictions led to increasing social contacts, the disease is less severe for most individuals who have been vaccinated. However the case rates are a timely reminder that Covid-19 remains with us and is a source of anxiety for those who are clinically vulnerable. We can all help by maintaining some simple precautions.
As the weather improves, we can enjoy meeting friends and family outdoors which is much safer. If you do have to spend time together indoors, you can reduce the risk of spreading the virus by opening windows and doors for fresh air and wearing face coverings where possible. Please remember to wash your hands regularly and try to stay at home if you are unwell.
During the pandemic it has been reassuring to be able to test regularly for Covid. It’s important to note that under the living with Covid strategy the government will stop providing free universal Covid-19 testing from 1 April. In-person test sites in Leeds offering PCR tests for people with coronavirus symptoms will close on 31 March. After that date lateral flow kits for asymptomatic testing will no longer be issued free of charge but can be purchased from retail outlets.
With effect from today, all Covid-19 travel restrictions are lifted for people arriving into England from abroad. Other countries still have entry rules in place, so you should check travel advice before departure from the UK.
Vaccination is the best protection
With restrictions lifted, the national living with Covid strategy centres on vaccines as the best line of defence against the virus. The effectiveness of the vaccines is constantly monitored and the data shows that two doses help you avoid serious illness while a booster dose as well makes you 90% less likely to need hospital treatment.
It’s never too late to start your Covid-19 vaccination course and there are clinics across the city where you can either book or walk in for your first, second or booster dose. Find a walk-in vaccination clinic near you or use the NHS booking service.
An additional booster dose will be offered this spring to those aged 75 or over, older residents in care homes and over 12s with a weakened immune system. You will be offered the booster around six months after your last dose of vaccine.
The self-isolation support scheme ended when the law on self-isolation was lifted on 24 February. However, if you were required to self-isolate before that date, you may still have time to apply for the self-isolation support payment. You can apply up to 42 days from your first day of isolation and must submit your application via the council website no later than Wednesday 6 April.
And finally…a week left to nominate in the Child Friendly Leeds Awards 2022
The Child Friendly Leeds Awards will be extra special this year. Not only is it their 10th birthday, Child Friendly Leeds is also celebrating all the wonderful ways in which Leeds is the best city for children and young people – even when there’s a global pandemic.
The awards were cancelled last year due to Covid restrictions, so if you know of a child, young person, adult or organisation deserving recognition for amazing achievements over the past two years, please tell us! Make your nomination online by 10pm on Friday 25 March.
“As we enter a new phase of living with the virus we would like to share with you some key advice and messages that may make you feel a bit safer and secure, when adjusting to new guidance. We know many older people may have had difficult experiences during the pandemic and we would like you to know we are here to offer advice and signposting.
COVID-19 continues to be a feature of our lives, so this next phase is around learning to live with it and managing the risk to ourselves and others.
Rates of COVID-19 infection are high and we should all continue to be cautious, help to reduce the risk of spread and protect people at highest risk of serious illness.
If you have not yet had your vaccine, we are here to support you whenever you are ready.
You are no longer legally required to wear a mask, social distance or self-isolate, but our advice is to continue to wear a mask in enclosed and crowded spaces such as public transport and health and care settings. Public Health advice still recommends self-isolation if you test positive for COVID-19.
If you are still working you no longer need to work from home.
Where possible, meet outdoors and let fresh air into homes and other enclosed spaces.
Many people will be excited about the return to the way things were before COVID-19, whilst others, may be more cautious.
Please get both doses of the vaccine and the COVID-19 booster if you are eligible to make sure you have the highest level of protection.
It is also important to reduce the risk of spread by washing hands, getting tested if you have symptoms, and isolating if advised to do so.
Top Tips
We want to make the advice as relevant and as clear as possible. We have created these Top Tips for you to use:
If you wish to wear one, keep a mask handy – in a purse, pocket, the car or your bag
Do keep washing your hands for 20 seconds or more
Remember to carry some hand sanitiser and use it regularly
Avoid busy, indoor spaces and meet outside if you wish
Take an extra step – try to keep some distance from others where you can
Let the fresh air in – open more windows or sit near a door
Please ask friends and family to take a lateral flow test before they visit you
Please ask family members to take extra care and follow the hands, face, space guidance if you are helping out with child-care or going on trips.
If you’ve yet to get your vaccine or booster, the vaccine bus will be at the community centre on Oatland drive on Tuesday, Thursday & Friday this week, 8:30-11:30am.
A nurse will be available to answer any questions.
Appointments not needed, you can just go along for 1st, 2nd or booster Pfizer vaccine.
Our local councillors for Headingley and Hyde Park ward (which also covers most of Woodhouse) will be holding their monthly Woodhouse advice surgery at our premises tomorrow.
They will be at Caring Together on Charing Cross shopping centre (Woodhouse Street, LS6 2PY – across from the Londis shop/Post Office) from 5pm – 6pm, Tuesday 8th March
Any resident who needs help or advice from the councillors is welcome to come along at this time.
