What can the council do to make things easier during COVID-19?

[jamesmcash]

Dear all,

It's been really heartening to see the cropping up of Mutual Aid groups and members of the community turning out to support one another through this difficult time.

We local councillors are keen to do everything we can too.

The council has an information page which is updated regularly here: https://www.southwark.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/public-health/for-the-public/coronavirus

I am in discussions with fellow councillors about what the council can do to support the community. I'd love to hear your ideas. Do you have any suggestions?

I obviously can't promise to do them all but I'll do my best!

Best wishes

James

[ab29]

Any chance to make / encourage shops to ration food - pasta, rice etc? This situation really affects the elderly - there is nothing left for them to buy. Many are on their own and have nobody to help carry stuff home so they do their weekly shopping buying very little. Now even this little is impossible to find because of other people greediness.

[Blackcurrant]

Identifying buildings that can serve as short term emergency hospitals is the most important thing. Ideally close to normal hospitals.

[Blackcurrant]

And equipping them with beds or mattresses.

[colville09]

Supporting local food banks. Their donations from supermarkets must have dropped to zero. Food bank clients must be among the most frightened people at the moment. They were living on the edge before and have no resources to call on now.

[sdrs]

Setting up a local food delivery service for the elderly, especially important as they will soon be advised or required to spend up to four months in quarantine. Leafleting households to make them aware of the service and making it as easy to use as possible for the elderly, who do not have access to or confidence using the internet.

[Blah Blah]

I second that. A service to help get food and other supplies to those having to self isolate with no resources to call upon for help. That can be just about anyone in genuine need, and not currently under any Adult Social Care package.

[singalto]

Where is our local food bank?

[micromacromonkey]

singalto Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Where is our local food bank?

https://southwark.foodbank.org.uk/locations/

[Spartacus]

James

Pausing things like the introduction of the cpz or consultations on healthy streets would be a good thing as people have other things to worry about at the moment rather than have they filled in a form,can't get online to get a permit or even can they afford a permit if their job is in danger (or getting a ticket because they were ill when the scheme starts)

It at seem like a petty thing but at the moment people need to reduce the things they worry about.

The ideas above to create temporary hospitals (maybe use pubs as no one can go out to them anyway if we isolate) are key and planning how to get food to those who need it most but taking into account some people aren't online.

Also look at how people with medical needs get treatment at home safely (boost district nurse support as hospital outpatient appointments are not always going to be possible )

[Tigres Pride]

Certainly relax parking on residential streets. Drivers shouldn't need to worry about getting ticketed if they are delivering essential supplies to any quarantined households in areas they do not have permits for.

[EDmummy]

Food vouchers for children on free school meals once the schools close. Many families rely on this cooked meal for their young people.

[Misslayton]

Hello,

I have set up a Covid 19 Mutual Response group for Dulwich. If you think you can offer any help for our community during this difficult time, please post and share.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/636485183836929?group_view_referrer=profile_browser

Thanks, Clare

[first mate]

To echo some earlier posts, I think Southwark should postpone CPZ implementation (for all the reasons described by other posters) as well as charges for the parks. My thinking is that for the elderly asked to self-isolate being able to drive to the park for a breath or fresh air or to walk the dog, is going to be much safer than using public transport.

If, despite everything, Southwark insist on forging ahead with CPZ it would be irresponsible at the moment.

[first mate]

There are quite a lot of posts this am about no water and electricity on some roads. The Council are going to need to be very proactive about this sort of occurrence and the role of Councillors will be vital in ensuring incidents are dealt with ASAP.

[Rockets]

The council needs to encourage people to do what we did today - get people knocking on elderly neighbours' doors and tell them that if they need anything all they need do is ask. Give them a contact number and reassure them that their neighbours are there for them. Many may be reluctant to acknowledge they need help at this point but just knowing that someone is willing to run to the shops for them and is looking out for them will be very reassuring especially when the directive for the elderly and vulnerable to isolate for 12 weeks comes into play.

[Soylent Green]

Relax parking restrictions for medical staff so that they can get to work safely without risking contamination on public transport. With 2 major teaching hospital sin the borough, this is really important.

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

Seriously have a word with the supermarkets to stop people selfishly buying up everything in store.

[sdrs]

Getting local chemists to start delivering regular/vital medication to the elderly / vulnerable / self isolating who may otherwise run out or expose themselves to the virus to collect it from a pharmacy .

[sdrs]

Getting local chemists to start delivering regular/vital medication to the elderly / vulnerable / self isolating who might otherwise run out or expose themselves to the virus to collect from a pharmacy .

[gromit316]

Southwark council should be contacting vulnerable people and the elderly. I think Its is awful that most people have been left alone and there is no help or advice from the local council.

[ED Bird]

sdrs Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Getting local chemists to start delivering

> regular/vital medication to the elderly /

> vulnerable / self isolating who might otherwise

> run out or expose themselves to the virus to

> collect from a pharmacy .

We have a growing list of volunteers who are more than happy to deliver medication from our local chemists.

We have a spreadsheet with a list of volunteers {{covering all streets within Goose Green}} you can view via a link in our whatsapp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/LApspsBjIAn5LOJifuRLWO.

Kindest,

Heather {The Wingless Bird}

[ED Bird]

gromit3:16 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Southwark council should be contacting vulnerable

> people and the elderly. I think Its is awful that

> most people have been left alone and there is no

> help or advice from the local council.

A group of us have taken it upon ourselves to cover all streets within Goose Green. We're printing & flyering every street at the moment.

I guess the council could help in providing us with a printer? We're constantly updating our spreadsheet crossing off the streets we've managed to flyer. We're printing from our own home printers & meeting up in the evenings to provide others with flyers to distribute.

[first mate]

Southwark has a team of community and parking wardens on scooters. They could be tasked with delivering leaflets and perhaps even collecting medication from pharmacies and delivering to elderly etc.. There will probably be other useful tasks they can perform.

[Melihoople]

first mate Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Southwark has a team of community and parking

> wardens on scooters. They could be tasked with

> delivering leaflets and perhaps even collecting

> medication from pharmacies and delivering to

> elderly etc.. There will probably be other useful

> tasks they can perform.

Actually such a good idea.

I'm very much in favour of suspending park charging if it allows at risk groups to get quality fresh air and those benefits.