Advice regarding council facilities

COUNCIL have issued guidance around their facilites and meetings scheduled for the next few days. Members of the public are reminded that play parks are closed. People are encouraged not to use them and also to heed council advice relating to recycling centres, particularly Pennyburn, where many people are failing to adhere to the queuing system that has been installed to encourage social distancing for the protection of our staff and the public.

Council civic offices and public buildings – All Council owned buildings – including the Civic Offices in Derry and Strabane, the Tower Museum, Guildhall and Alley Theatre – remain closed to the public until further notice.

Essential services continue to operate as normal and the public can continue to contact Council by phone at 028 71 253253 or by email at info@derrystrabane.com

Mayor’s office – All Mayor’s diary of engagements have been cancelled including the Mayor’s Tea Dance and the Mayor’s Civic Ball.

Committee meetings – All Council committee meetings have been suspended except for a Special Planning Committee meeting scheduled for tomorrow Tuesday, 24 March. It is scheduled to go ahead but is closed to the public. Thursday afternoon’s Full Council meeting (26 March) is going ahead online but with no public access

Leisure centres– All Council owned leisure centres remain closed until further notice.

Community centres – All Council owned community centres are closed until further notice. Community centres and arts facilities that have a service level arrangement with Council, have been informed of Council’s plans to assist them in making informed decisions about their own premises.

Play parks – All Council owned Play parks are currently being closed and signage erected. The public are advised that work to erect signage  and fencing where possible, could take a number of days but that they should please act responsibly and deter from using these facilities in the interim.

Public Parks – All Council public parks and open spaces currently remain open. Some of our community safety wardens are being deployed to assist. The Council would encourage the public to adhere to the Public Health Authority guidelines in relation to social distancing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, and to act responsibly when out and about using our public parks and open spaces.

Bin collections – Bin collection services remain operational however the public are being asked to leave their bins out for collection at an earlier time of 7am to allow crews to get around all households.

Street cleansing – Street cleansing services are continuing.

Recycling centres – Council recycling centres remain open however a new traffic management system has been introduced at the site at Pennyburn Industrial Estate to ease congestion and assist with social distancing. They include no left turn entry to the site, and traffic is being redirected beyond the entrance towards the back of the industrial estate where vehicles can turn and then enter the facility by taking a right hand turn at the entrance.

Due to increased pressure at this site, the Council will no longer accept materials from trailers or high sided vehicles.

The public are encouraged to adhere to the advice of staff and to co-operate fully with them as they continue to work and provide this essential service during a challenging time for everyone. For more information visit – www.derrystrabane.com/recycling

Bulky Waste service – this service has been temporarily suspended to facilitate other essential waste service provision.

Births deaths and marriage registration –The Council’s Registration of Births Deaths and Marriages service is continuing to operate, however due to Government recommendations a number of changes have been made to service provision including the temporary closure of the Strabane office and restriction measures at the Derry office that include an appointment only system. Please telephone 02871 253253or 02871 376520 or email –registrars@derrystrabane.com. To view all the details relating to the changes to services please visit – www.derrystrabane.com/district-registration.

Cemeteries – All Council cemeteries are open with a number of operational changes to protect the health and safety of staff, mourners and the wider public.

Planning service – Planning Service is operational with a number of restrictions in place with regard to site visits, please contact the service directly with any questions at .planning@derrystrabane.com.

The consultation on LDP Draft Plan Strategy Representations has been suspended. Anyone looking for planning information, application forms, planning fees and planning applications are encouraged to visit the planning portal:   http: //www.planningni.gov.uk/

​The Special Planning committee meeting scheduled for todaywill go ahead but with no public access.

Building control service– Building Control service is operating with some restrictions in place with regard to site visits. Please contact the service directly at building.control@derrystrabane.com for more information or alternatively phone us directly at 028 71 376512 (Derry office) or 028 71 381315 (Strabane office.)

Environmental Health Services – Environmental Health is operating with some restrictions in place with regard to inspections and site visits. Please contact the service areas directly at:

Environmental ProtectionE:environmentandneighbourhoods@derrystrabane.com

Food Safety E:Food@Derrystrabane.com

Health and Safety: E:HealthandSafety@Derrystrabane.com

Health & Housing: E:health&housing@Derrystrabane.com

Port Health E:porthealth@derrystrabane.com

Licensing E:Licensing@Derrystrabane.com

Dog Control:  E:dogcontrol@Derrystrabane.com

Council Events – The following events have been cancelled – the City of Derry Jazz Festival, the North West Angling Fair, the Strabane Lifford Half Marathon, the Foyle Maritime Festival,  the Strabane Summer Jamm,  the Worker’s Rights and Social Justice Week and the Battle of the Atlantic VE Day commemorations. All events in Council owned facilities are cancelled up until the end of May.

Business support – The business team are available to assist businesses who have queries relating to latest information and advice provided by the Department of Finance regarding rates relief and business support services. Businesses seeking advice are advised to visit – https://www.derrystrabane.com/businessupdates

Community Services staff are working from home at present.  Officers are working with the Department for Communities, local community groups and advice services in order to ensure that resources being made available in this emergency situation are delivered on the ground as soon as possible. In the first instance contact can be made with community services by email to susan.mullan@derrystrabane.com or Patrick.odoherty@derrystrabane.com

Sports Development – All Sports Development programmes/delivery has been postponed until further notice.  Officers are available to assist and follow up on any queries from the public. For any general enquiries​ please contact sportsdevelopment@derrystrabane.com.  All officers have access to this email and will be picked up be relevant officer.

Community Safety Wardens – Community Safety Wardens continue to carry out their regular patrols across the Council area and can be contacted on their mobile number as normal. Some of the wardens are to be redeployed to assist in our public parks to help with social distancing and providing reassurance and advice to the public.

This vital community service is continuing in an effort to provide reassurance and protection to our communities and keep people safe at this difficult time for many. Contact details – TRIAX/Waterside (07709 457690) / Outer North/Outer West (07736 213140) and Rural Waterside (07736 213152).

City of Derry Airport – the Airport is open and some changes have been made by the airlines to some flight schedules. The public are urged to visit the airport website for live flight information and regular updates. For more information visit –www.cityofderryairport.com