CORONAVIRUS: Hartlepool Borough Council update

Published Wednesday, 18th March 2020

In light of the Coronavirus outbreak, Hartlepool Borough Council has today announced a number of additional building closures.

The closures – which will be in place until further notice – will also enable staff from these buildings to be redeployed to critical services.

Public toilets in the town have also been closed in the interest of public safety.

The additional closures are as follows:

Building

Decision

Rationale

One Stop Shop (downstairs at Windsor Buildings)  

To be closed from Wednesday 18th March to young people / public

Redeployment of workers to critical services

Youth Services

(Throston Youth Service and Rossmere Youth Centre)

To be closed from close of play on Wednesday 18th March

Redeployment of workers to critical services

Children’s Centres

All groups cancelled and open access stopped with immediate effect.

 

Appointments can be booked to see children’s centre staff by telephone or through the Hartlepool Children’s Centres Facebook page.  

The closure to open access ensures we are promoting social distancing.

Appointments will allow parents to have access to health visitors and community nursery nurses which is a critical service

Centre for Excellence in Creative Arts

Aim to close by the end of the week (Friday 20th March.

Redeployment of workers to critical services

Hartlepool Borough Council will continue to monitor and act on the latest Government advice and will re-open these venues as soon as we can. In the meantime, we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

We are reviewing day services for vulnerable adults and will communicate any updates in due course.

We are also reviewing ways in which we can support vulnerable adults and those who are socially isolated in their own homes, again this information will be communicated as soon as possible.

The Civic Centre Contact Centre, Community Hub Central and Community Hub South remain open in order for them to deliver essential services to the public safely. However, residents must follow the social distancing procedures in place at these venues and anyone with symptoms must not attend. Some services will need to operate on an appointment basis and details of these will be shared publically ASAP.

Gill Alexander, Chief Executive of Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “Following Government guidance on managing the coronavirus outbreak, we have unfortunately had to take the decision to close a number of our buildings to the public.

“Essential front-line services are continuing and staff are working exceptionally hard to ensure that they do.

“Closing buildings also allows us to redeploy workers to these critical services.

“I’d like to thank all of our residents across Hartlepool for bearing with us during these unprecedented times.”

Further information can be found at www.hartlepool.gov.uk/coronavirus