Coronavirus: Stratford District Council daily update - March 26 - The Stratford Observer

Coronavirus: Stratford District Council daily update - March 26

Stratford Editorial 26th Mar, 2020   0

Key updates

Extraordinary Council – Thursday March 26

Agreed to defer the introduction of charging for garden waste, not before

1 March 2021.




Agreed to defer the consultation on the proposed increased car parking charges, not before 1 April 20201.

Chief Executive allowed to make grants to support the local community and businesses during the pandemic.


Agreed amendments to the Council’s Constitution, to enable decisions to be made quickly during the pandemic while we can’t meet face to face, including:

Allow Head of Planning and Housing to determine all planning applications

Require any Licensing Panel to determine a contentious licensing matter

To revise the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Procedure Rules

To cancel all Council, committee and sub-committee meetings, including the Annual Council, apart for any meeting of the Licensing Panel

You can watch this meeting again on the District Council’s YouTube page https://www.youtube.com/user/StratfordDC

Stratford District Council Car Parks

All NHS staff and social care workers will be able to park for free in district council car parks during the coronavirus outbreak – they just need to display supporting evidence in their windscreen, such as a photocopy of their work pass (with sensitive information removed) or a letter from their employer.

Council also to consider granting free car parking for those volunteers, as part of the local community support network, coming into the town to buy provisions, pick up prescriptions or make deliveries.

Help with Council Tax

We already operate the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme which is available to all residents and, depending on their household, personal and financial circumstances, they can qualify for 80% off their council tax bill if they are working age or 100 per cent if they are of pension age. It is means tested so amounts differ from claim to claim. For more information and an on-line claim form, please visit the Council Tax Reduction Scheme information on the website.

If you require further assistance or are struggling to pay your council tax at this time please email: [email protected]

Main reception at Elizabeth House closed

You can still contact the District Council by phone on 01789 267575 or email in the usual way on [email protected] or access services online at www.stratford.gov.uk

Government Support

An initial payment of £1.6bn has been made to Councils with the majority going to authorities leading on COVID-19 who will have increased demands for providing adult and child social care services plus money to all Councils for immediate needs. The District Council has received £43,500 and Warwickshire County Council £14.7million.

Council leader Tony Jefferson said: “Following today’s Extraordinary Council meeting, Members have agreed a number of options designed to allow important council decisions to continue to be made during the period of emergency that has arisen as a direct consequence of the coronavirus pandemic.

“To help support the council during these exceptional times the decisions taken today, including the decision to delay the implementation of new initiatives, provide flexibility for the council to react to this worsening crisis. The additional delegations contained in the report are temporary and will only remain in place until it is safe to resume the normal governance arrangements of the Council.

“The council is in a strong financial position to deal with the immediate issues surrounding this crisis, however, in the current circumstances revenue is declining and expenditure is rising.”

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