Household waste and registration services remain open and limited library service
Libraries in Oxfordshire will close when the national four-week lockdown begins on Thursday 5 November but household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) and registration services will continue to operate.
Despite closing on 5 November, Oxfordshire County Council’s library service will continue to offer an array of online resources at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/libraries and residents will still be able to benefit from the home library service. The county council is also investigating the possibility of a click and collect service in some libraries in addition to limited access to public network PCs.
All decisions have been made in line with government guidance.
Residents will still be able to register births and give notice at registry offices and register deaths over the phone in Oxfordshire. Weddings civil partnerships and citizenship ceremonies will be paused.
The HWRC at Redbridge in Oxford was already scheduled to close 9 - 30 November for essential structural repair work.
Help for vulnerable people
In Oxfordshire (please see below for Oxford City). Help is available on 01865 897820 or email shield@oxfordshire.gov.uk. The service is open 8.30am - 5pm Monday – Thursday, 8.30am - 4pm on Fridays, closed Saturday - Sunday and bank holidays.
Help for vulnerable people is available in Oxford City on 01865 249811 or by visiting oxford.gov.uk/CommunityAssistance. The service is open 8am - 5pm.
Abide by the rules
The national lockdown comes in the wake of rapidly rising infection levels across the country and a significant rise in hospital admissions.
Councillor Ian Hudspeth, the Leader of Oxfordshire said: “We have taken careful note of the detail that supports the government’s lockdown announcements and configured our services accordingly.
“I would urge people to abide by the rules that are being introduced nationally. By working together, we can stop the spread of the virus. Christmas is unlikely to be anything like normal this year, but it can at least be closer to that normality if we contain the virus during this lockdown period both locally and nationally.”
From 5 November, people must stay at home unless they have a specific reason to leave, such as education, childcare, and work which cannot be done from home. Pubs, restaurants, and non-essential shops and businesses will have to close, although hospitality venues can continue to provide takeaway and delivery services. Schools, colleges, universities and early years settings can remain open.
People must not meet socially indoors or in a private garden with family or friends who are not part of their household or support bubble. People are also being asked to avoid travelling in or out of their local area and to reduce the number of journeys they make.
However, people are allowed to exercise outdoors or visit an outdoor public place with members of their household or support bubble. A maximum of two people from different households – excluding children under school age – are allowed to meet outdoors for the purpose of exercise or to visit an outdoor public place.
Detailed information about the new restrictions is available on the gov.uk website.
News on other council services
- The Oxfordshire Comet bus service is with immediate effect only providing transport for essential journeys for shopping once a week or for medical appointments for individuals that have pre-booked. All group bookings and timetabled services are suspended.
- The Oxfordshire History Centre in Cowley, Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock and Museum Resource Centre in Standlake will close.
- Oxfordshire Music Service’s Centre for Music will close to students, but online lessons will continue. Lessons in schools will continue.
Ends
For more information about this release contact the Oxfordshire County Council and Cherwell District Council communications team on 01865 323870 or email press.office@oxfordshire.gov.uk