​Service changes due to national lockdown

A number of council services will be affected by the national coronavirus lockdown which comes into effect tomorrow.

The borough’s leisure centres, plus Bury Art Museum and the Tourist Information Centre, will be closed to visitors, while local libraries will continue to offer ‘click and collect’ only. Weddings have also been put on hold.

More changes may be announced as the Government’s full list of restrictions becomes clear.

The majority of services, however, will continue to operate as before, including waste collections. Many other departments moved their services online during previous lockdown measures and will continue to function on the internet.

All staff employed in services which have to close will be redeployed to the Community Hubs which look after the borough’s most vulnerable people, or to administer support to local businesses.

Councillor David Jones, cabinet member for communities and emergency planning, said: “We’re managing to keep nearly all our services running, despite being in some form of lockdown more or less since March.

“It’s very frustrating that we are having to shut buildings which have only just reopened, but the law makes it clear that some facilities must close, such as gyms and leisure centres, and those which bring people together.

“I urge everyone to follow the lockdown rules to get the infection rate down and allow us to return to normal.”

He added: “Local residents have been wonderful in coming forward to help throughout this pandemic, and we will be contacting every one of the hundreds of volunteers from ‘lockdown 1’ and asking again for their help. Anyone who would like to volunteer can call us via our contact centre on 0161 253 5353.”

A list of changes to council services will be posted on the council’s website at www.bury.gov.uk

ENDS

Press release issued: 4 November 2020.