Tuesday 30 June 2020
Due to the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19), we will now be providing regular email updates for residents to let you know about the latest information we have and any changes to local services that may be affected.
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You can check the latest information on our website at any time by going to https://www.rotherham.gov.uk/coronavirus
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Gulliver’s Valley to open on 11th July
Gulliver’s Valley Resort – Rotherham’s new multi-million pound attraction – is set to open its doors to the public for the first time on 11th July, providing a timely economic boost to the borough.
The park, which becomes the fourth site in the Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts family, was forced to postpone its planned opening earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A number of additional safety measures have since been made to the park in response to the pandemic, including temperature checks on arrival, mandatory advanced booking, contactless entry, social distancing measures and a food pre-ordering system.
The park will also be operating on a limited capacity, with pre-booked slots only, to adhere to the government’s social distancing guidelines.
Aimed at children between the ages of two and 13-years-old, the new Gulliver’s Valley houses a host of rides and attractions, including an Apache Falls ride, full-size diggers, the Ghostly Galleon pirate ship and a Lost Jurassic World area.
Accommodation options are also available, including Unicorn and Princess Suites alongside Western Cabins and Lost World Lodges, with sleepover adventures on offer.
Visit the Gulliver’s Valley Resort website to book
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South Yorkshire devolution is a done deal
South Yorkshire is taking greater control of its own destiny with new powers and millions of pounds in new funding to grow our economy and boost skills set to arrive this summer, after the region’s landmark devolution deal was finally agreed yesterday.
The order for the deal was laid in Parliament after letters of agreement were submitted by Sheffield City Region Mayor Dan Jarvis, and the council leaders for Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
The Deal will be approved in Parliament in the coming weeks.
Benefits for the region include control of a new, flexible single pot of funding for economic growth, which incorporates an additional £30 million annual allocation over the next 30 years.
It also secures devolved transport powers and funding; full devolution of the Adult Education Budget of around £35m a year, for colleges and training providers; increased planning capacity and powers to deliver housing and economic growth; and greater control over how and where funds are directed in Rotherham and the rest of the region.
The Deal marks a significant breakthrough for the region, equipping local leaders with the tools and resources to build back better from the coronavirus pandemic.
Sheffield City Region announcement
Covid-19 death by occupation data is released
The Office for National Statistics has published new figures showing the occupations of people who have passed away due to Covid-19.
The new data set underlines previous studies showing a higher mortality rate of Covid-19 death in men, and those working in ‘elementary’ occupations.
According to the stats, which cover 9th March to 25th May, the average deaths for men involving Covid-19 stands at 19.1 per 100,000, compared 9.7 deaths per 100,000 for women.
Breaking this down by occupation, men working as security guards (74 deaths per 100,000) with taxi drivers (65.3 deaths per 100,000) and bus and coach drivers (44.2 deaths per 100,000) were amongst the highest.
Both men and women working in social care, including care workers and home carers, both had significantly raised rates of death involving Covid-19, with rates of 50.1 deaths per 100,000 men (97 deaths) and 19.1 deaths per 100,000 women (171 deaths). 11 of the 17 specific occupations show, once again, that deaths are significantly higher for people from Black and Asian ethnic backgrounds.
ONC Covid-19 deaths by occupation data
Fact-check: can hand sanitiser set alight in a hot vehicle?
There have been several potentially misleading Facebook posts recently suggesting they show the aftermath of alcohol hand sanitiser having caught fire in vehicles on a hot day.
In fact, although alcoholic hand sanitisers are potentially flammable, there would need to be a spark to start a fire at temperatures this low.
The flammable ingredients in hand sanitiser would need to be at much higher temperatures, over 350°C, to combust without a spark.
To be safe, you should store them out of the heat, and most importantly away from open flames, sparks and hot surfaces.
Full details from the Fact Check website
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Vehicle MOT Testing to restart from 1st August
Mandatory MOT testing is to be reintroduced from 1st August 2020 as COVID-19 restrictions are slowly lifted, the Government has announced.
Drivers had been granted a 6-month exemption from MOT testing in March as many garages closed to help reduce the spread of Covid-19.
However, as restrictions are eased, all drivers whose car, motorcycle or van is due for an MOT test from 1 August onwards will be required to get a test certificate to continue driving their vehicle.
Drivers with an MOT due date before 1st Augustwill still receive a 6-month exemption from testing. However, all vehicles must continue to be properly maintained and kept in a roadworthy condition, and people are able to voluntarily get their MOT sooner should they wish to, even if they are exempt from the legal requirement.
Motorists can be prosecuted for driving an unsafe vehicle.
Government announcement: restarting MOT testing
Getting in touch…
During this challenging time please, where possible and appropriate, use our online services rather than calling via telephone. We’re receiving a high level of calls daily and want to ensure we’re able to answer urgent calls regarding vulnerable residents and our front line services.
