“It’s crucial that we all do our bit in Wrexham” – Council give their latest update

Wrexham Council have issued their now daily update, today noting the housing estate offices are closing and public toilets are closing.

Ian Bancroft Chief Executive (pictured above) and Mark Pritchard – Leader of the Council issued a joint statement, “Last night, the Prime Minister announced new measures to help slow the spread of Covid-19. You can now only leave your home for the following, very limited purposes:”

“Shopping for basic necessities, as infrequently as possible.
One form of exercise a day – for example a run, walk or cycle – alone or with members of your household.
Any medical need, to provide care or to help a vulnerable person.
Travelling to and from work, but only where this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home.

“It’s crucial that we all do our bit in Wrexham.”

“We all need to follow these instructions if we’re to have any chance of managing the spread of this virus, and preventing the NHS from being overwhelmed.”

“By staying apart, we’re all doing our bit. We’re working together to try and keep Wrexham as safe as it can be.”

“So let’s do the right thing. Stay at home, protect our NHS and save lives.”

The Council point people to the recent announcement that letters are going out to people with underlying health conditions (more on that here), adding “If you receive one of these letters and you don’t have any friends, relatives or neighbours who can deliver food and medicine for you, or you can’t order your food online, the letter will tell you to contact us using a phone number provided. If you need to call us, rest assured that we’re working hard with partners to put in place measures that will enable us to help you.”

The Council reiterate their move to providing critical services only, they include social services, advice on housing benefits, sheltered accommodation, schools (currently open to children of key workers and vulnerable children only), emptying bins, homelessness and other things that people depend on, adding “The virus will continue to impact on our workforce, but we’re making plans to ensure we can continue to deliver these services.”

A lot of stall holders in Ty Pawb, the Butcher’s Market and the General Market have already decided to suspend trading, and the Government made it clear last night that all non-essential shops should close, earlier today Ty Pawb also stated it was closed.

Public toilets managed by the council will also close from today.

All of the Council’s estate offices are now closed, including reception areas where kiosks and free phones were available. If you have an URGENT housing query, please contact the council’s housing team on 01978 298993, with the council saying “Our housing teams are grateful for your continued support and co-operation in this difficult situation.”

An update on emergency repairs was also provided – with the council telling residents “Please only call our housing repairs team if you have an emergency (01978 298993).”

You can still report non-emergency repairs via the online “My Council House” system or by emailing [email protected]

Unlike some other councils Wrexham is continuing to provide a recycling service, but on a restricted basis.

From Thursday, March 26 the openings will be:

Bryn Lane (on Wrexham Industrial Estate) will be open every day (8am-8pm).
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Brymbo will be open (9am-6pm) and Plas Madoc will be closed.
On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, Plas Madoc will be open (9am-6pm) and Brymbo will be closed.

There will be restricted access rules in place (only five users at any one time). This will be actively managed at all sites and all users will be expected to adhere to social distancing.

The council note, “We will monitor use and operations continually, and make further changes as necessary.”