08 04 2020 Covid-19 update

As the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic continues, Bridgend County Borough Council is continuing to focus its resources on providing essential services and protecting vulnerable residents. The following information provides a summary of latest developments, with the most recent additions at the top:

Tannoy cars and digital signage

Bridgend County Borough Council is undertaking a range of measures to help protect the public ahead of the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

Four vehicles are being fitted with a public address system to broadcast the bilingual message ‘Stay home, protect the NHS, save lives.’ Working closely with South Wales Police, the tannoy cars will travel the county borough broadcasting the message and will be dispatched to where people are reported to be breaking requirements on social distancing.

Digital signage is also being set up on primary routes into Porthcawl urging people to remain at home. It follows concerns after large numbers of people travelled into the town a few weeks ago, putting themselves and others at risk of exposure and forcing the permanent closure of the Rest Bay and Salt Lake car parks.

Support for ambulance service

The council is making space available at its Bryncethin depot during the ongoing pandemic to accommodate crews and vehicles from the Wales Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

Designed to provide them with sufficient workspace distancing, the council has placed vacant parts of the depot at the trust’s disposal to ensure they can continue to provide a frontline emergency service as safely as possible.

Recycle your waste

Following reports of household waste being disposed of inside public litter bins, residents are being urged to make sure that they recycle as many items as possible every week, and to place refuse out for collection as part of the fortnightly service.

Tissues, wipes, kitchen roll and toilet paper placed inside public litter bins all increase the chance of exposure during the pandemic and puts staff at risk, while food waste can attract pests and vermin into an area.

Council workers and crews from Kier are working hard to keep the county borough clean, and to ensure that recycling and waste collections can continue as smoothly as possible during the pandemic.

Report your lockdown wildlife sightings

With stories of goats, peacocks and other animals taking advantage of empty streets and town centres during the lockdown, residents are being encouraged to spot, record and report wildlife and wildflowers while observing the strict regulations around social distancing.

Whether it is part of your daily exercise or simply by looking out of your window, you can spot evidence that starlings are returning, blackthorn trees are blossoming, celandines are flowering, hedgehogs are coming out of hibernation and more.

Help on identifying flowers and wildlife is available online from sites such as the Woodland Trust, Botanical Keys, the RSPB or the Natural History Museum, and you can submit all of your lockdown wildlife sightings to the South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre.

Contacting the council

The Customer Service Centre at the Civic Offices in Angel Street, Bridgend remains closed to the public. Residents are asked to use the online My Account and Oggie webchat facilities, or to email talktous@bridgend.gov.uk or call 01656 643643.

Volunteers wanted

People who are interested in volunteering to help during the Covid-19 outbreak can do so by contacting the Bridgend Association of Voluntary Organisations (BAVO) where they will be matched to a role according to their skills, interests and experience. Free training will be provided along with DBS checks where necessary – visit the BAVO website for more information.