During the current coronavirus (COVID 19) outbreak, circumstances change regularly. We will post updates on our coronavirus web page: /coronavirus-help-and-advice .
Keeping people safe from the spread of coronavirus means making changes to how we work.
We must concentrate on the services that will help to keep people safe, and that the council must deliver by law.
These changes ensure we have enough people to do what we need to do as we comply with government guidelines.
Changes to services as of 26 March 2020
- Public glass collection points will not be serviced to allow us to focus on other more vital work. Please store glass at home for the time being.
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We will not be replacing, or delivering new, bins.
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We will only carry out street lighting repairs that pose most risk to the public ie if columns are unstable or they are electrically unsafe:
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Our LED replacement programme will be halted to let us get on with more necessary work.
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The work of our wardens will be prioritised to focus on basic, statutory requirements.
We will continue to:
- Collect the general waste bins, maintaining the current schedule. Please put your general waste bin out on your usual day and we will collect it as soon as we can.
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Providing burial and cremation services but limiting attendance to immediate family members only (up to a maximum number of 8);
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Limit ferry and air travel via our ferries and Oban airport to emergency/essential travel only
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Make repairs to dangerous defects in infrastructure and follow up inspections as required;
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Respond to emergency call outs and winter maintenance as necessary; and
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Provide any home to school transport as required for essential/key workers.
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Commercial waste uplifts for businesses that are permitted to continue to trade and have a contract with us. Those that deal with food will have their food waste collected separately.
These are services which we have had to stand down due to comply with government guidelines around social distancing, for the three weeks that current guidance on staying safe is in place, and to meet staff shortages:
- Public conveniences to be closed.
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Emergency road repairs to continue; all other road works to cease on account of lack of materials and staff. All roadworks to cease and current jobs will be made safe and traffic management will be removed where possible.
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Following Scottish Government instructions, play parks will close immediately, along with outdoor gyms. Football pitches should no longer be used for matches, but can be used for exercising as long as social distancing is respected.
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Civic amenity sites will close to the public immediately.
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We will not be collecting blue bins/bags. Please store your recycling where possible or flatten your recycling to get as much as possible into your blue bin and bag any extra.
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We will not be collecting glass or domestic food waste.
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There will be one more collection of commercial waste for businesses that have to close as a result of the response to Covid-19. It will then stop for customers who don’t need it. There will still be a service for businesses that are open and have a contract with us eg supermarkets.
The situation is fluid and we may need to make changes at short notice. Urgent changes will be posted on our website. Information on longer-term changes will be issued on our social media channels, website and local press.
We would appeal to members of the public to work with us during this challenging time. We are working hard to protect our frontline staff. You can help us by rif someone in the household has or is suspected of having COVID-19.
We will resume services wherever possible. Until then, our focus is on maintaining the most vital services. Thank you.