North Somerset Council has today agreed a temporary increase to adult care provider fees to help them deal with the increased costs associated with COVID-19. The Liberal Democrat Group welcome the increases which will be backdated to 6 April and remain in place until 31 May. The Council will review whether further payments are needed next month 

All care home placements made by North Somerset Council will benefit from a flat-rate increase of £100 per week and home care payment rates will increase by £1 an hour.

A £40.4 MILLION support fund for small businesses in North Somerset has now been fully launched, with the work and support of Liberal Democrat Council Group. The fund is to be spent on small business grants of £10k or £25k.

Lib Dem Cllr Mark Canniford, Executive Member for Business, Economy and Employment at North Somerset Council, said: “We want to help local businesses during this difficult time, and we urge businesses and individuals to get in contact with the council to see what available support there is. We recognise this is a difficult time and we want to help organisations to get the financial help they need.”

North Somerset Council is appealing to the Government for additional personal protective equipment (PPE), and to local businesses for any spare PPE, so it can be used by the authority’s care workers. 

Although the Lib Dem co-led Council’s care teams currently have sufficient PPE, stocks nationally are running low, and priority is being given to NHS staff.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Mike Bell, Executive Member for Health and Social Care at North Somerset has called on the Secretary of State, for Health and Social Care, the Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP to improve protection for those workers on the front line of the Coronavirus pandemic.

North Somerset Council is launching a new service to link residents in need to the fantastic support being offered by communities. North Somerset Together is an initiative that will help residents who have no support from family or friends and who are socially isolated access the support they need during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond. It will also help those who want to volunteer to get involved or donate to link up with the right organisations, and signpost businesses to relevant information. It brings together a wealth of information to help anyone in the community find out what is available, what help is needed, and contact groups and organisations directly