weekly COVID-19 update from your LibDem College Ward councillors - 15 May 2020

Welcome to our latest weekly update, using material as at Friday 15 May. We hope you find this information clearer than Boris Johnson's speech last Sunday!

Borough and County update re COVID-19:

• Starting with some good news, the additional "overspill" ITU at Epsom Hospital has been able to close as the need slowly reduces. Follow the CEO's twitter account for useful updates on the Trust https://twitter.com/danielelkeles
• Following the changes in the national (English) guidelines, all Council carparks are now open. However, those on the Downs are governed by the Conservators, and are still closed, with people parking all over the place. We have chased the Conservators to consider reopening them.
• If you know about local businesses that have not applied for, or been refused, the £10k grants please tell us. From data we have seen not all eligible business (including charities) have applied yet.
• The tennis courts in Alexandra Park and Court Rec should be opened by the time you read this. Please follow the government & LTA guidelines!

Other local updates:

• Please can you not leave donations outside shut charity shops. The material can't be used and it costs to remove. This is probably not something our dear readers would do, but could you remind others please !
• For those bored with queuing in supermarket carparks and not wanting to use precious home deliver slots here are few other options:
  • Bens Butchery will deliver meat/cheese/eggs locally (emailInfo@bensbutchery.co.uk for an order form)
  • At https://www.hilliards.co.uk you can order boxes of food (veg/chickens etc) online and pay and book a pick up time then drive to their yard on Reigate Road and they put it in the boot.
  • Mayfield Lavender farm/shop Reigate Rd. Their car park is used every Monday/Weds/Friday for selling veg boxes and eggs. I believe 10am to 3pm.
  • R.Kay and sons 01737 813144 Tadworth Shop. Will deliver fish and poultry.
• On Tuesday the Conservators voted to allow the Derby and The Oaks to be run "behind closed doors" one Saturday this summer, not before 7 July. There could still be health issues with this proposal so we will be making appropriate comments when this comes before Council.
• Update from the Foodbank - "Well folks it has been another busy week and you lovely people have made 119 home deliveries. This also means that we have provided food for over 300 people....in only five days". Thanks for your support.

Wider issues:

• For those who found Johnson's speech slightly confusing, the published guidance here is (slightly) more helpful: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do
• If like David you have a numerical bent, you may enjoy the More or Less podcast from Tim Harford on Radio 4 - latest edition really shows how dodgy the governments statistics are
• Finally, I'm sure you all saw the story about the golf course on the Welsh/English border with some holes in one country and some in the other, hence subject to different rules. A first sign of the gradual break-up of the Union ??

All the best and stay safe,

Julie & David