The Role of the Troon Community Council

We continue to provide critical services and these are currently operating without issue.

Education- Pupil Return in August

On Tuesday 23 June, Deputy First Minister John Swinney announced that schools can expect to re-open full-time in August, with no social distancing for pupils, if the virus continues to be suppressed.

Schools will now require to make a number of changes before the new term starts in August. Classes had already been reconfigured to take account of social distancing and will now be rearranged. We will review existing risk assessments in light of the changes. We will also carry out further risk assessments in the context of all pupils being back in order to ensure the health and safety of all staff and pupils. It is our intention to do everything possible to ensure schools reopen fully in August but there are logistical challenges that need to be overcome. School holidays start today for pupils and for all school staff which limits the opportunities to make the necessary changes.

It is our hope and intention to have all pupils back in August, however the late change in policy makes this a challenge. We therefore intend to continue with the planned start date of 12 August but the first week, up to and including Friday 14 August, will be a soft start. That means that pupils may not be in all day or every day for the first three days of term. Our current aim is that from Monday 17th August all pupils will be back full time. This is, of course, predicated on the virus continuing to be supressed and our current position may change in the light of public health advice.

A letter has been issued to all parents and carers explaining the situation. Each school will contact parents and carers directly before the start of the new term to let them know the specific arrangements for their children.

Early Years

We have been informed that there have been no changes yet to the guidance relating to early years provision. Existing early years guidance results in reduced capacity which makes it difficult to confirm the detail of early years places for the coming year. These issues will be clarified over the coming weeks.

Fees and Charges

Following the Covid outbreak in March, the Portfolio Holder for Resources and Performance, the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive, under emergency decision making powers, agreed to introduce a three month suspension (from 1 April 2020 to 30 June 2020) of the introduction of inflationary price increases on point of sale charges to the public due to be implemented from 1 April – i.e. those price increases included in the 2020/21 Budget Book.

We are now nearing the end of the three month period of suspension which means that, as we come out of lockdown and services are phased back in, these inflationary price increases will begin to come into force. Customers will be advised of any changes to prices as and when each affected service is reintroduced. This does not affect Council tax, non-domestic rates or house rents

Business Support Grants

We have now paid £20.7 million in business support grants to local businesses. We continue to work through the remaining cases, which number fewer than 205. The Business Support Grant Scheme will close on 10 July 2020. No new applications will be accepted after this date. Details on the scheme are available at https://beta.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/article/19562/Business-Support-Grant

Shielding

This week we received the thirteenth batch of shielding names. This takes the total number of South Ayrshire residents on the shielding list to 4755. We have made contact and offered help and support to 4742 shielding residents, representing over 99% of the total. We continue to try to make contact with the remaining 13.

Food Boxes

We will continue to provide weekly food boxes to children who are eligible for free school meals until schools return. The last week of deliveries will therefore be on the week beginning 3 August.

We have made some changes to the content of food boxes, taking into account feedback from families. The contents of boxes may change from week to week depending on availability of stock, but will usually contain, bread, milk, cereal, fresh fruit and salad.

Going forward we will alternate provision in 2 week cycles, with a larger box provided on week 1 (which will contain some produce which will last 2 weeks), and a smaller box on week 2. This rotational approach will be in place throughout the summer and boxes will be delivered to families on the same day each week.

Re-opening of Licensed Premises

The First Minister announced that she expects beer gardens will be permitted to open as of 6 July, following which licensed premises will be able to open fully from 15 July. Premises are now making plans for reopening, taking account of social distancing and the coronavirus restrictions. As licences for the premises will not change, all enquiries regarding how to comply with the coronavirus guidelines will be directed to Trading Standards and Environmental Health, but of course there will be joint working between departments to provide as much information as possible to assist premises in getting back to business.

Licensing

Alcohol Focus has reviewed the policies of all Licensing Boards in Scotland and published a report on their findings. The report is very positive about the approach taken in South Ayrshire, particularly in relation to community engagement, occasional licences and policies in relation to children & young people. You can access the full report here.

Play Parks

We are on course to re-open play parks on Monday 29 June.

Our Active Schools Team have developed a programme which offers sports equipment packs to families who need support to keep active and engage in sport at home.

Thanks to generous donations of equipment and funding from local sports clubs, businesses, local funding partners and national governing bodies, the team will be able to work with schools to identify families who need support to get active at home.

Families will initially have access to indoor activity packs, including football; handball; tennis; badminton and fitness, with more activities to follow.

The project has brought local groups and businesses together to promote positive partnerships, and to encourage families to stay active during the pandemic to support their physical and mental health.

You can find out more about our Active Schools team by visiting their website, or following them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Following the First Minister’s review of the COVID-19 regulations yesterday, we have been able to further progress our recovery plans in several areas

Our Grounds Maintenance team is busy putting the necessary arrangements and signage in place to assist with physical distancing at our play parks, which are set to re-open on Monday 29 June. I’m sure that this will be great news for many of you with young children; however, please don’t be tempted to visit the play parks before the 29th, and remember to keep your family safe by observing physical distancing and respecting government guidance. We’ll keep you updated on progress around the re-opening of public toilets which remain closed at the moment

We have amended the school holidays to reflect the earlier start to the autumn term of Tuesday 11 August. The four days of ‘lost holidays’ have been added to the February 2021 weekend which will give staff a full week off

Teachers and school support staff have been working hard over the last few weeks to prepare for the safe return of young people when the new school term begins in August. This has been a very complex exercise and schools have done everything they can to maximise the time young people can spend in school. Every school is unique – in space available, layout and in pupil and teacher numbers. This means that we can’t have a one size fits all approach and most pupils will attend school for part of each week, with face to face learning supplemented by online and blended learning from home. If you are a parent, your school will contact you directly over the next few days with information on your child or children’s pattern of attendance. (For information all Troon Primaries and Marr College will be operating a 2 rotation attendance at school (initially it was thought that Struthers would have to operate a 3 rotation). The intention is to get every pupil back into full-time education at the earliest opportunity – however as a Council we are driven by both the Scottish Government guidance on social distancing, and a commitment that they will meet any additional costs (which if we stay at 2m social distancing will be considerable) will be met.)

Throughout this pandemic our schools have taken an innovative approach to the way they support and engage with young people. Teachers have embraced the digital technology available to them to create learning platforms and keep in touch with pupils. To celebrate the end of term, some schools have held virtual Sports Days, which include a range of fun activities and challenges for pupils to complete at home. Transition activities have also been adapted to online events, including videos and virtual tours to reassure pupils prior to their move to P1, S1 or a different year group

Our Housing Options and Support team has provided much needed help and advice on a range of housing issues to clients affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Sadly, the increase in relationships breaking down during lockdown has resulted in a much higher demand for homeless temporary accommodation, with the team currently handling over 400 ‘live’ cases. Officers have gone above and beyond to turn temporary furnished properties around swiftly, avoiding the need for families to use bed and breakfast accommodation. The team also man our 24/7 homeless standby phone line; provide services and support to our sheltered housing residents; deal with anti-social behaviour complaints and maintain regular wellbeing contact with clients. More information on housing support can be found here

Our Revenues team has now paid out a massive £20.5 million in business support grants to local eligible businesses in need of financial support, with the Phase 3 Online Application now live on our website. If you know anyone who could benefit from these grants, please direct them to our website where comprehensive information can be found

We also joined forces with the other Ayrshire Councils this week when we launched a new COVID-19 Business Support Helpline. Any Ayrshire business can now call one single telephone number, 0330 6781611, to seek help and advice. More information can be found on our website

Some of you have raised queries around the use of Skype and Microsoft Teams. Our ICT Enterprise Architecture team has put together a series of Q and A’s around this which are now available to view on The Core

Sunday 21 June will be the 6th Annual International Day of Yoga. Yoga is known for its ability to ease stress and promote relaxation – something we could all do with right now! You can take part via our website and social media channels

I’d encourage you to continue to keep yourselves up to date by checking the website regularly. Also, why not follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, where you’ll find a range of information on our services

Finally, I’d like to end with some non-COVID related news. Earlier this week the Council purchased Belleisle House. We will now begin to look at how we will restore this unique building and make plans for its future

We continue to provide critical services and these are currently operating without issue.

Licensing

The First Minister announced yesterday 18 June that, while we are now entering Phase 2 of easing lockdown restrictions, some changes will not yet come into effect. Many licensed premises with beer gardens had anticipated being permitted to open this weekend, but they will have to remain closed for a further period. These are matters which are entirely outwith the control of the Licensing Board, however we will continue to liaise with the trade and to pass on any information from the Government as it is made available. The next review is anticipated on 2 July and the full re-opening of licensed premises is not expected until Phase 3. Guidelines have now been published which will allow the licensed trade to make plans for re-opening – https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-tourism-and-hospitality-sector-guidance/

Re-opening of Play Parks

Further to the First Minister’s announcement yesterday, playparks can reopen from Monday 29 June. We are therefore putting arrangements in place to reopen on 29 June, ensuring signage is put up to promote public health and physical distancing.

Re-opening of Public Toilets

We are participating in the SOLACE working group to take a national approach to the re-opening of public toilets.

School Holidays

We have amended the school holidays for 20/21 to reflect the earlier start to the autumn term of Tuesday 11 August. The four days of ‘lost holidays’ have been added to the February 2021 long weekend.

Housing and Homelessness

The social effects of COVID-19 have increased the need for homeless temporary accommodation and the demand for housing advice and support.

The number of current homeless applications being managed by our Housing Options & Support Team has risen since March of this year – from 331 at 31 March to 410 at 15 June 2020. Although the level of new homeless applications has not risen significantly in comparison to normal trends, the Council’s ability to discharge our duty to households and to secure permanent housing solutions has been reduced as a consequence of the Covid-19 restrictions to service delivery. Additionally, the number of households requiring temporary accommodation has increased due to the limited other options available to applicants. We have therefore increased our stock of temporary accommodation by 14% since lockdown, using longer term empty properties from our own stock and additional private sector leased properties. There are 285 units of temporary accommodation in use across our hostels/supported accommodation units, dispersed temporary accommodation within our own stock, private sector leased properties and temporary accommodation provided by Ayrshire Housing. This is the highest number we have needed since September 2012, but so far we have avoided the need to use bed and breakfast accommodation.

We have also seen a spike in complaints about individuals in temporary accommodation who have not complied with the government’s social distancing guidance. We continue to work with clients, maintaining regular contact to ensure that they are supported during this challenging time.

Response, Recovery and Resilience Fund

The number of local organisations who have successfully secured funding now number 14, with grants awarded totalling £55,712.00 as detailed in the table below.

Support For Local Businesses – Business Support Grants

We have now paid £20.5 million in business support grants to local businesses and have fewer than 190 cases to process, pending receipt of information required to verify applications.

Support for Local Businesses – Bed and Breakfast Hardship Fund

This fund launched on 15 June and is specifically for small Bed and Breakfasts (B&Bs) who have faced hardship due to COVID-19, but were ineligible for other support, as they do not have a business bank account. The Fund offers a one-off grant of £3,000 and applications should be made online. Details of eligibility criteria and how to apply can be found on the council website – https://beta.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/article/19481/Information-for-Businesses

Belleisle House Hotel

The sale of Belleisle House Hotel concluded on 18 June, which is the date of entry for the Council. The purchase price of £275,000 was reduced to £153,835 to account for the sum of £121,164 which was due to the Council because of the emergency works following the fire.

Proposed AIG Women’s British Open (Royal Troon Golf Course 20-23 August 2020)

Discussions are currently taking place with the R&A on the possibility of holding the AIG Women’s British Open at Royal Troon from 20-23 August 2020. Should the event go ahead, it will not be open to spectators. There would, however, be TV coverage. The R&A will make a decision on whether the competition will run in early July.

In the meantime, the R&A has asked our Planning team to proceed with a proposed Section 11 Access Exemption Order to suspend public access rights during the event. This is in the interests of player, staff and public safety and to help minimise the risk of spreading Covid-19. Although the event has not yet been confirmed, the Planning team is making the order now to allow time for public and community feedback, for consideration of any objections and for the Government to decide whether to approve the order. This means the order would be in place for the start of the event, should it go ahead. A public notice will be placed in the local press next week detailing the Proposed Access Exemption Order and asking for views.

Status For immediate release

Supporting our unpaid carers

Carers Week (8-14 June) is a great opportunity to highlight the contribution unpaid carers make to families across South Ayrshire, and the challenges they face – even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have policies in place to help staff who have unpaid caring responsibilities, and the support we give employees who are carers has already led us to achieve a Carer Positive Established Award.

We want to do more to support staff who look after an ill, frail or disabled family member, friend or partner, so we recently launched our employee Carer Survey to gather feedback and suggestions on what else we can do to help. Employees and managers can also tap into our dedicated e-learning course, which provides information on the impact of caring.

Through the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), we’re also working with the South Ayrshire Carers Centre to ensure all unpaid carers receive practical and emotional support. Although the centre is closed at the moment, help and guidance is still available over the phone and on social media.

During the COVID-19 crisis, the centre has supported around 14 young carer families with hardship payments to help with fuel and food costs. They helped Ellen, who looks after her grandfather and younger siblings to apply for a young carers grant. The family said: “The carers centre team have just been fantastic in supporting us all during lockdown. Thank you.”

The Centre also carry out wellbeing checks with unpaid carers who are shielding, and ensure carers take time to relax and have fun, by providing art packs, virtual quizzes and other online events.

Janice, who is currently shielding, and looks after her 19 year old son who has additional support needs said: “Thank you to all staff for the support during this time, it has been much appreciated.”

As well as providing practical and emotional support, the centre has produced a letter which carers can use as identification when they are accessing goods and services for those they care for.

Councillor Julie Dettbarn, Adult Health and Social Care Portfolio Holder for South Ayrshire Council said: “It’s fantastic that we have been recognised for our efforts to help staff who care for a loved one, and we want to build on this going forward.

“Now more than ever, unpaid carers need to feel valued and supported, and we will continue to work with our partners to make this happen.”

More information about support available to unpaid carers, including how to access PPE, can be found on the Council website https://beta.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/article/19523/Support-for-Unpaid-Carers.

To take part in some of the virtual events taking place during Carers Week, visit www.facebook.com/SouthAyrshireCarersCentre/

ENDS

Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlighting the challenges unpaid carers face and recognising the contribution they make to families and communities through the UK. The theme for national Carers Week this year is Make Caring Visible.

A carer is anyone who provides unpaid support to a relative, partner, child, friend or neighbour due to illness, disability, frailty, a mental health condition or a substance misuse problem.

https://www.carersweek.org/

Shielding

We have completed initial enquiries with every resident on the shielding list, with the exception of 80 people who were added by the NHS in a new batch of names received today. Additionally, there are 18 residents whom we have been unable to contact despite calling and/ or writing to them and visiting their homes. We are now working with Police Scotland to ensure the individuals concerned are safe.

Volunteering Training Programme

Further to the community planning approach we are taking to volunteering, we now have 468 Community Planning Partnership (CPP) volunteers. All volunteers will take part in online volunteering training from next week. Of the 468, we have identified 30 people who have the digital skills required to act as digital volunteers for shielding residents who may be eligible for digital support through the Connecting Scotland initiative.

Feeling Good: Positive Mindset App

Scottish charity, the Foundation for Positive Mental Health, is offering free access codes to their Feeling Good App during the pandemic period. The app is NHS Digital accredited and is designed to help people build essential skills to become mentally stronger and more resilient to stress. The app is free to download until the end of June, with free access for 6 months
thereafter.

Communication

A range of communications has been prepared to mark Volunteering Week (1 – 7 June). We have linked in with internal Council services and some external partners, to highlight just some of the volunteering work that has taken place across South Ayrshire during this pandemic. Coverage can be seen on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram throughout this
week.​

Delivery of Critical Services

We continue to provide critical services and these are currently operating without issue.

Recovery Group

A Covid-19 Recovery Group has been established to plan for a transition from lockdown through the stages of recovery. This group meets weekly and is working with Service Leads to determine how and when services can be restored within the parameters of national guidance.

Business Support Grants

We have now paid £19.5 million in business support grants to local businesses.

We continue to work through the remaining cases, which number fewer than 200. Of these, the majority require to provide further information to enable us to verify their application.

Covid Helpline

The employee volunteers who staff our dedicated Covid helpline have now handled 15,612 calls. These volunteers handle calls to and from shielding residents, from members of the public who are looking for Covid related support and from people who have been advised to self-isolate through the Test and Protect scheme.

South Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership will issue a weekly briefing to provide IJB members with information on the planning and preparation for COVID-19.

Confirmed Cases

The Scottish Government publishes an updated picture of cases and testing at 2pmeach day. For more information, please click on the link to the Scottish Government website: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/

The National Records of Scotland have published figures of all deaths where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate by the doctor who certified the death. This includes cases where the doctor noted that there was suspected or probable coronavirus infection involved in the death. For more information, please visit the National Records of Scotland website: https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/covid19stats Week 21 (18 May to 24 May 2020) figures are below.

Scotland figures

• As at 24th May, there have been a total of 3,779 deaths registered in Scotland where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. The first mention of COVID-19 in a registered death certificate was the week beginning 16th March 2020.
• Of the total number of deaths registered in week 21 (18 to 24 May), there were 230 where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, a decrease of 105 from the previous week (11 to 17 May). This is the fourth weekly reduction in a row.
• Three quarters (76%) of all deaths involving COVID-19 to date were of people aged 75 or over.
• The proportion of COVID-19 deaths which took place in care homes has risen over time but has dropped back in recent weeks and now represents 54% of all COVID-19 deaths in week 21. The number of deaths in care homes fell for a fourth week.

Ayrshire and Arran

The number of COVID-19 deaths registered between weeks 1 and 21 (year to 24 May) of 2020 in Ayrshire and Arran was 262.
Of the 262 deaths in Ayrshire and Arran, 127 occurred in hospital, 116 happened in care homes and 19 occurred at home or non-institutional setting.
Overall, the rate of COVID-19 deaths in Ayrshire and Arran was 7.1 per 10,000 population.

South Ayrshire

The provisional figures on deaths registered where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate in South Ayrshire between weeks 1 and 21 (year to 24 May) of 2020 was 99.
Of the 99 deaths in South Ayrshire, 47 occurred in care homes, 47 happened in hospital and 5 occurred in home or non-institutional setting.

Shielding

There are now 4463 individuals on the Shielding list in South Ayrshire. Work continues to provide support from General Practice, South Ayrshire Council, VASA and wider community groups. HSCP staff are now seeking to address some of the emerging challenges of the Shielded group for example, mental health and well-being, loneliness and physical health. GP Practice colleagues have made contact with the majority of patients and there is now an updated Anticipatory Care Plan (Key Information Summary) in place for 95% of these patients contacted.

HSCP staff and partners are now preparing for the next Shielding phase and awaiting guidance from Scottish Government

Test and Protect Launch – 28 May 2020

Test and Protect, NHS Scotland’s approach to controlling the spread of coronavirus in our communities, was rolled out yesterday (Thursday 28 May). Test and Protect is Scotland’s way of putting into practice the ‘test, trace, isolate, support’ strategy. The aim is to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the community by:

• Identifying cases of coronavirus through testing
• Tracing the people who may have become infected by spending time in close contact with them
• Supporting close contacts to self-isolate, so that if they have the disease they are less likely to transmit it to others.

What to do if you have symptoms: You and your household should not leave home, will need to request a test and, if the result is positive, help NHS Scotland to identify who you’ve had contact with. (This will be done confidentially.)

What happens when you are phoned by the Test & Protect service as you have been in close contact with someone with coronavirus: Do not leave home for 14-days. A test will be arranged if appropriate. Also, the other members of your household do not need to isolate unless they have also been contacted by Test & Protect service or you start to develop symptoms.

For more information, please click here

Care Home Safe Practice Poster

Health Protection Scotland and the Care Inspectorate produced a poster to support frontline health and social care staff to undertake safe, effective infection and prevention control practice in an accessible and understandable format.

Multicultural Counselling Support Project

BEMIS is the national umbrella body supporting the development of the Ethnic Minorities Voluntary Sector in Scotland. In response to the current challenges and impact of the Covid-19 situation, BEMIS initiated a pilot multicultural counselling provision for the diverse Ethnic Minorities, and this support has proved vital with referrals from across Scotland. We are in a position to sustain this crucial service with support from the Wellbeing Fund until the end of July 2020. The Multicultural Counselling Support Project focuses on supporting mental health needs for ethnic minority individuals and families by providing multilingual culturally- and religiously-sensitive counselling support. Counselling will be delivered remotely by telephone or online (via WhatsApp, Zoom, Skype, etc.). In addition, the counselling provision will be in line with the ethical standards of BACP and other Counselling authorities. Click here for more information.

Funding Opportunities for Voluntary Organisations and Charities (attached)

Please see attached COVID-19 funding opportunities for voluntary organisations and charities.

Resources from Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs

Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs has put together a list of helpful resources on our website for families affected by someone else’s alcohol or drug use.
Click here to access the resources.

Advice for Parents and Carers – Changes to Coronavirus Restrictions

As Coronavirus restrictions begin to change, you may have questions about how these changes affect your family. Parent Club has published information to support you with the changes to outdoor restrictions.

Dementia Awareness Week 2020 1 – 7 June 2020

Dementia Awareness Week takes place between 1 – 7 June 2020. Dementia Awareness Week is focused on raising awareness of dementia and making sure that people living with dementia in Scotland continue to have access to the support they need and deserve.

Social isolation, loss of networks and disrupted routines will be a huge challenge for those people living with dementia and their carers during this crisis, particularly since they will face restrictions for an extended period of time.

Carers Week 8 – 14 June 2020

Carers Week commences from 8 to 14 June 2020. Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don’t think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed support.

People across the country are continuing to face new challenges as a result of COVID-19. Many people are taking on more caring responsibilities for their relatives and friends who are disabled, ill or older and who need support. Carers need to be recognised for the difficulties they are experiencing, respected for all they are doing, and provided with information, support and understanding.

Caring’s impact on all aspects of life from relationships and health to finances and work should not be underestimated, and carers are facing even more difficult circumstances this year. Whilst many feel that caring is one of the most important things they do, its challenges should not be underestimated. Caring without the right information and support can be tough.

It is vitally important that we recognise the contribution carers make to their families and local communities, workplaces and society, and that they get the support they need.

Better Health Hub

NHS Ayrshire and Arran’s Better Health Hub aims to support people to live healthier lives. There are many things that can affect people’s health and wellbeing. At the hub, staff can talk about what matters to you and work with you to take positive steps to better health. They can also signpost or refer to services in the community that can offer more support. This now includes Better Health Near Me which is a video-calling service for people to get help with their health and wellbeing.

Delivery of Critical Services

We continue to provide critical services and these are currently operating without issue.

New COVID-19 Ayrshire Regional Testing Site

A new COVID-19 Ayrshire regional testing site is now operating in Prestwick. This new testing site, on Welsh Road near Prestwick Airport, replaces the mobile testing unit in front of the Airport’s terminal building. Tests have to be booked in advance and more information can be found at https://beta.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/…/19676/Test-and-Protect–

Car Parks

Following a request from Police Scotland on Sunday afternoon, we re-opened North Esplanade car park, Links Road, Prestwick due to the volume of traffic in the local area. The car park will be closed again tonight and we will review the re-opening of all car parks that are currently closed over the coming weeks.

Care Homes

We have now carried out visits to 13 of the 26 care homes in South Ayrshire and anticipate completing the majority of visits by the end of next week.

Recycling Centres

As confirmed in previous Briefings, our Household Waste Recycling Centres, including two additional ‘pop-up’ sites (for general/black bag waste only) in Ayr and Girvan, reopened today. We put out extensive communications to the public in advance of reopening. These included press releases, social media, radio adverts, maps of each centre and surrounding roads and a short video to advise on the public health measures in place. We also advised the public that we expected centres to be busy and encouraged them to consider delaying visits if possible.

As anticipated, centres were extremely busy from opening this morning. Traffic management has been successful at, and around each site. Waste Management Officers based on sites will link with Communications team to issue live tweets/Facebook updates as necessary to advise the public of queues.

Golf

The reopening of golf courses has been extremely popular and we have now issued 2078 flexible memberships. Staff are actively reminding golfers to observe the measures we have put in place to ensure physical distancing is maintained at courses. The the vast majority of golfers are adhering to these measures.

Support For Local Businesses

The Economy and Regeneration Team launched the eighth issue of their e-magazine Business Beat. This issue focusses on Advice and Funding around Tourism and can be accessed here.

Communication

Last month saw a further increase in SAC Live Facebook followers, with the total post reach for May in excess of 352,000. Some of our top reaching posts were around the re-opening of Household Waste Recycling Centres (41,899 reach); special/bulky uplifts resuming (20,073 reach); and information on current COVID-19 related scams (19,406 reach).

Status For immediate release

Our Trading Standards and Environmental Health team have been at the forefront of helping to protect, and keep our residents and business owners safe during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Pavement marking to assist with social distancing while shopping for essentials, raising awareness of new scams and fraud, and dealing with noise complaints are just some of the things the team have done to make things safer, and a little easier, for all of us.

Their input has been invaluable at a time of uncertainty for many local companies, with the team providing support and advice to over 870 businesses since restrictions began on 23 March.

Local businesses have welcomed this support, with one business owner saying: “The information provided by Trading Standards and Environmental Health has provided a road map to help us guide our way out of this closure, and re-open our business when it is safe to do so. Somewhere to turn for professional advice during such an unsettling time has been amazing.”

In response to residents’ concerns, the team have also produced a door sticker to deter unwanted callers and mailers. The free sticker can be requested via our COVID-19 helpline on 01292 616101, or a printable version can be found on our website.

Councillor Phillip Saxton, South Ayrshire Council’s Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community Wellbeing said: “I’d like to extend my thanks to everyone in the Trading Standards and Environmental Health team who have really gone the extra mile to help protect our residents and business owners during the COVID-19 outbreak.

“While this is an unsettling time for everyone, the team have quickly adapted their service delivery to meet new demands. Their ongoing hard work and commitment to providing reassurance, support and advice to those who need it most has really made a difference.”

Anyone looking for advice or assistance can contact the team on 0300 123 0900.

For the latest updates on our services visit https://beta.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/coronavirus

Delivery of Critical Services

We continue to provide critical services and these are currently operating without issue.

Golf

We have put plans in place to safely open golf courses, with some restrictions, from Friday 29 May (pending final confirmation from the First Minister on 28 May). We have carefully considered national guidance on safe play and are taking the following interim measures to ensure we comply:

-All courses will be open for social play only;

-Tee times will be restricted;

-Customers can play up to two rounds per week to allow fair access and ensure social distancing requirements are maintained;

-Full season ticket memberships remain suspended. As we can’t offer the same access to courses at the moment as we did pre-Covid, it would be inappropriate to reintroduce our traditional 8 course Season Ticket membership at this point. A temporary, new Flexi-Golf South Ayrshire membership scheme will therefore be introduced as an interim measure;

-All tee times will be available to Flexi-Golf members 7 days in advance, on a first come, first served basis;

-Customers should play at their nearest course to comply with current travel restrictions.

We look forward to welcoming golfers back and are committed to re-opening our facilities safely to ensure the wellbeing of customers and staff. We will review the above measures on an ongoing basis and adapt them as national guidance allows. More information on these interim measures can be found on our website.