Dear hosts, volunteer coordinators and parish council colleagues

Last week we shared the link to our short survey to capture what your community volunteers / groups / organisations are planning as part of the district’s support for hosts and guests. If you haven’t yet completed the survey, we would be grateful if you could complete our survey here.

Hosts will be aware that we have this week been able to start DBS and accommodation checks, as well as capturing information we will need to be able to make the £350 (host) and £200 (guest) payments. We are also working on providing welcome packs for guests – in the meantime you can always find all of the information we have collated so far on our Support for Ukraine webpage. The information in this update only covers new information that we have received / clarified over the past week since our last update.

Looking ahead

We’re also now turning our attention to how we can better support hosts and guests in the slightly longer term, once new arrivals have had a chance to settle in. Hosting someone in your own home for a prolonged period of time has the possibility of being challenging, but we have seen how communities have rallied together to support one another during the pandemic and anticipate similar support being coordinated for hosts and guests.

We plan to share some tools for hosts and community groups in the coming weeks. If you have any suggestions for this toolkit please send these to us. The more input from groups and hosts, the better. You could send us an idea about the support you’d be grateful for as a host. Or you may be a volunteer or run a community group wanting to make an offer of support to host households / guests. This could be anything from a cooked meal to take some pressure off; support for guests who don’t speak much English; or ideas to link local hosts together to build support networks. All ideas of what hosts or guests might need, what groups are thinking of offering, or what businesses or individuals feel may be needed are warmly welcomed. Simply email duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk

Support in Ukrainian

There are a couple of options set out below (repeated from last week) to support guests who don’t speak any English. Please also bear with us as we work over the coming week to collate a pack of information specifically aimed at guests which we will provide in Ukrainian, Russian and Polish (as well as in English). We will let you know when this is available.

Cambridge4Ukraine

Cambridge4Ukraine – волонтерська ініціатива, заснована українською спільнотою в Кембриджі.

Cambridge4Ukraine is a volunteer initiative set up by Ukrainians in Cambridge, which is helping to match sponsors with those fleeing Ukraine as well as providing support to arrivals from Ukraine.

Council translation and interpreting

На цій сторінці ви знайдете корисну інформацію, але якщо вам потрібна будь-яка підтримка, пишіть на мейл duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk або телефонуйте 01954 713 070.

Щоб перекласти іншу інформацію на цій сторінці українською мовою, ви можете використати сайт Google Translate:

• У вашому браузері, зайдіть на сайт Google Translate
• Вгорі сторінки, натисніть на ‘Websites’.
• Ми рекомендуємо залишити мову оригіналу, натиснувши на опцію ‘Detect language’.
• У полі ‘Website’, введіть адресу сайту (URL)
• Натисніть ‘Go’.

There is information on this page which should be useful, but if you need any support, you can email duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk or call 01954 713 070.

To translate the rest of the information on this page into Ukrainian, you should be able to use Google Translate:

• In your browser, go to Google Translate.
• At the top, click Websites.
• We recommend setting the original language to ‘Detect language’.
• In the ‘Website’, enter a URL.
• Click Go.

Government guidance

A reminder that the Government has created a Welcome Pack for Ukrainians arriving in the UK, which covers what they may need to know in their first few days, getting used to life in the UK including how to find a home, access essential public services, healthcare, find work and childcare and education services.

Via the same link above, the pack can now also be downloaded in Ukrainian or Russian.

Updated Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Joining the library is free

Colleagues from Cambridgeshire libraries are asking hosts to encourage new arrivals from Ukraine to seek out local libraries as places to connect both locally and with the online community – reminding gusts that it is completely free to join the library, and no proof of address is needed.

Guests will then be able to:

• Use our study spaces, WiFi, computers and printers
• Browse books and borrow up to 12 items at a time
• Read eNewspapers in many languages
• Come to library events
• Join a reading group
• Join free story times and rhyme-times for children and their parents/carers.

People can also join the library online. You can see a flyer with more information – both in English and Ukrainian – attached to this email.

How can new arrivals open a bank account without proof of address?

To open a bank account in the UK, you usually need proof of permanent address. NatWest and RBS are now advising that for arrivals from Ukraine, this requirement for proof of permanent address may be waived – especially where a visa can be presented instead. Other banks are advising that they have colleagues ready to help new arrivals (HSBC and Santander). Other banks may also be able to help new arrivals. There is no expectation of guests to have set up a UK bank account prior to their arrival in the UK, but it would be a good idea to support guests to do this as soon as is appropriate after their arrival, once they are settled in.

How can guests receive their £200 payments if they don’t have a bank account?

We have sourced a provider of pre-paid cards which we will provide to new arrivals who don’t have access to a UK bank account. All hosts who have been matched with guests will receive, within two days of being matched with guests, an email from us requesting that both hosts and guests complete a data capture form. As part of this, guests can indicate that they don’t have a bank account to receive their £200 payments. Those guests who indicate they don’t have a UK bank account will be contacted by our team to arrange giving them a pre-paid card. If you are a host and have an urgent questions about this in the meantime, please contact duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk 

How can guests access English Language tuition?

Cambridge Regional College offers free English lessons for people who don’t speak English as a first language. There are different levels available and new arrivals should check which level is going to be most suitable for them.

A charity called Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) also offers free English lessons for people who don’t speak English as a first language. You can see information in an attached flyer about an information session for Ukrainian arrivals. This is taking place virtually on Tuesday 26 April, from 1pm. The coordinator at WEA speaks Russian and as some Ukrainians speak Russian, is offering to run the session in Russian as well as English. If your guest speaks Russian and you’d like a copy of the leaflet in Russian, please let us know.

And there are a number of English courses available through the Cambridgeshire Skills website – you can search for ‘ESOL’ courses in the search field. For further information email cambsals@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Support for guests’ health and wellbeing

We know that some of the individuals arriving from Ukraine will be traumatised by recent events and families may need some professional support. We are seeking guidance to support hosts in spotting any signs of PTSD, and also plan from next week to provide suggestions to help with guests’ wellbeing.

A reminder that Barnardo’s has set up a Ukrainian Support Helpline to provide a holistic support service to anyone fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. Barnardo’s free helpline (0800 148 8586) is staffed by English, Ukrainian and Russian speakers, to offer support to children and families arriving in the UK from Ukraine. The helpline is open Monday to Friday (10am to 8pm) and Saturday (10am to 3pm). Callers will be able to get help and advice on a range of issues. You can also email the team or find out more on the Barnado’s website.  

If you have any safeguarding concerns about any children, please contact Children’s Services. This could be because you think a child is experiencing, or is at risk of, physical, emotional or sexual abuse, exploitation, extremism or neglect. If at any time you have a concern about the welfare of any vulnerable adults, you can email Safeguarding@scambs.gov.uk for advice. In an emergency always dial 999.

Business support for arrivals from Ukraine

A reminder that refugees from Ukraine have immediate eligibility to work in the UK for up to three years. Our Business Support and Development team is asking local businesses to get in touch with colleagues at Jobcentre Plus (JCP) if they are able to offer job opportunities to new arrivals from Ukraine. JCP will coordinate offers and match them to emerging needs as people start to settle in the district. If you, your family or friends are aware of any suitable vacancies please email dawn.bere@dwp.gov.uk, and the team will add them to their list.

The Federation of Small Business has published some helpful advice to help employees who may be affected by events in Ukraine.

If a household currently subject to the spare room subsidy offers their spare room, will they no longer be subject to this?

The DWP has confirmed that if a host’s household is already subject to under-occupancy this will not be altered by the presence of a Ukrainian guest, so the under-occupancy will continue to apply. This is because we have been advised that this will not be treated as their main residence which also avoid the application of non-dependent deductions.

Will social housing tenancies be affected?

Anyone who rents their property – whether through a social or private tenancy – should check with their landlord about having non-family members residing with them to ensure this does not put their tenancy at risk.

Assistance for those affected by the war in Ukraine – 3 March 2022

Dear volunteer coordinators, parish councillors and Members

As we watch the terrible events in Ukraine unfold, our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine. The horrors of war, as shown in the photographs and videos on the news media, is impossible to overstate. The Council has pledged to support people fleeing the Ukraine and is calling for a national resettlement programme to be set up by the Government so that this can happen. Councillors have said that the Council will play their part and work to identify local homes for refugees leaving the warzone if needed. You can read the Council’s position in full here: pledge to support people fleeing Ukraine.

We hear and empathise with the anxiety and concern of residents who want to do something to help those affected and we want to help by signposting people who wish to offer support in response to the humanitarian crisis.

Donations

Local organisation Cambridge Convoy Refugee Action – which ordinarily works to take regular convoys of donated items to refugees in Calais – has advised that it is NOT currently collecting items for Ukraine. They suggest instead that donations of money is a much more effective way of helping the aid organisations that are working in the region.

In line with this recommendation, the Local Government Association (LGA) has provided Councils with this link to BBC News online where it suggests people should direct their support to organisations including:

• The British Red Cross, which has launched an appeal to help the Ukrainian Red Cross to provide food, medicine, clothing and shelter, as well as first aid training in bomb shelters, and drinking water to villages in eastern Ukraine
• The UNHCR refugee agency, which is funding emergency shelters, repairs for homes damaged by shelling, emergency cash assistance, psychological support and warm clothing
• UNICEF, the UN’s children’s charity, which is helping to ensure families have clean water and food and that child health and protection services continue
• Save the Children, which is providing cash assistance, food and other support to refugees crossing into Romanian and Lithuania, as well as in Ukraine itself.

Additionally, the Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace, has suggested donating money through the Ukrainian Embassy’s With Ukraine fund. The money will be spent on providing humanitarian assistance to the civilian population and to purchase medical and military supplies for Ukraine’s army.

You may also have seen overnight that the UK Government has committed to matching the donations made by people in the UK to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which similarly provides food, water, shelter, healthcare and protection to people fleeing Ukraine.

Misinformation

In addition to donating, another practical thing that we can all do is to be careful not to unwittingly distribute misinformation or propaganda about the situation by sharing articles, images or videos that we see online which are fake or misleading. The Full Fact organisation has some useful tips on how to spot false information online and sharing these tips within our communities can help. Here are links to their posts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Please note that this information was collated on Thursday 3 March 2022. Due to the fast-changing nature of the situation, it is clearly not possible to create an exhaustive list of the organisations supporting the local and national effort. If there are significant changes, we will share the information via social media or with another Community Update.

Food Waste Action Week fronted by WRAP. The action week is returning this year from 7-13 March

South Cambridgeshire District Council green bin collections: As we catch-up on collections in the district, we’re aware there were some streets in your area we didn’t reach last Saturday. However, we are planning to collect from these missed areas this Saturday

Please check the service announcements page at https://www.scambs.gov.uk/recycling-and-bins/bin-collection-service-announcements/ 

for further updates. It also includes answers to common queries we are receiving about green bin collections.

Willingham’s missed green bin collections will be collected on Saturday (26 February) as part of the Council’s ‘catch-up’ collection rounds. Therefore please do bring in your green bins for the next couple of days. The green bins will need to be out by 6am on Saturday to be collected in the catch-up collections. Blue and black collections are not affected by this additional catch up collection for green bins.

For the green bins that were not emptied between 7 and 18 February due to our staff shortages, we will be returning to empty these on the next two Saturdays. If all the green bins on your street were not emptied during this fortnight, please put your green bin out on Saturday 19 and Saturday 26 February, until it is emptied. Thank you for your continued understanding and support. For more information, go to www.scambs.gov.uk/bins

 South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge City Council residents are being asked to put their green bins out as normal from Wednesday 12 January, with waste crews working to empty as many as possible each day. The intention is to empty all green bins in line with the published schedule, but crews may not be able to reach all properties. While they work to bring the service back up to normal, it will not be possible to report any missed green bin collections in January. Find out more including your scheduled collection day and to read our FAQs: https://www.scambs.gov.uk/return-of-green-bin-collections/ See less

COVID community update on Lateral Flow Tests – 7 January 2022

As you will be aware, the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has meant there has been a huge surge in demand for Lateral Flow Tests (LFT) and demand is currently outstripping supply at times. Although this is expected to be a temporary problem, obtaining test kits is currently not as straight-forward as it has previously been, especially since the most convenient source – local pharmacies – have not had a regular supply of test kits since the rise in demand.

For most people this will simply mean some extra patience when ordering tests online. The national system refreshes the delivery slots available every 30 minutes, so if you visit the website and no tests are available, try again in 30 minutes.
For those who urgently need tests and are able to travel, an alternative is to visit one of the rapid testing centres from where kits can be collected. In South Cambridgeshire there is a regular pop-up session in Cambourne, but all the details about the locations of these sites can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website.

Perhaps the biggest concern is for those people who rely on LFTs so they can attend regular medical appointments but find it difficult or impossible to do so online. In such circumstances, people can still ring 119 to place an order. We would suggest that during this time it would be wise to place the order in plenty of time before it is needed – especially if a medical appointment is coming up.

Greater Cambridge Shared Waste News release – Wednesday 8 December 2021

Green bin collections suspended from Monday 13 December

Green bin collections across Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire are being suspended from Monday (13 December) because of the number of drivers and loaders absent – particularly with Coronavirus or self-isolating.

Crews are working hard to complete rounds that are scheduled for the rest of this week but after Monday (13 December), green bin collections will be suspended and are planned to resume on Wednesday 12 January 2022 in line with the previously published Christmas schedule.

In addition to staff shortages due to COVID-related reasons (sickness and self-isolation), there is a continued national shortage of HGV drivers as well as a lack of agency staff because of demand for them elsewhere such as in supermarkets and at online delivery services.

The suspension will allow crews to concentrate on emptying black and blue bins during the festive period when more waste and recycling is traditionally generated. Back in the summer, when the green bin service was threatened, the Councils gave advance warning that collections could be disrupted due to the pandemic causing staff shortages. This has now been realised.

Steps had already been taken to try and deal with staff shortages. Since September, Greater Cambridge Shared Waste has appointed 11 new bin crew members during a near-constant recruitment campaign. Six existing refuse loaders are also currently going through a driver training programme. However, with 30 members of waste operations staff absent today (Wednesday 8 December) it is no longer possible to continue planning to empty green bins from next week.

Many other councils, both in Cambridgeshire and across the UK, have already been forced to suspend their garden waste collection service.

For those residents that are expecting their green bins to be emptied this week, the message is to put your bin out as normal. If it is not collected on your usual collection day, leave it out, and it will be emptied by the afternoon of Tuesday 14 December.

During the green bin suspension, the advice for garden waste is to store this in the green bin or in a plie in the garden, or home compost, until collections resume. If necessary, it can be taken to the household recycling centres at Milton or Thriplow. As always, residents are being encouraged to waste as little food as possible, so they have less to throw away. For this period only, residents who do have food waste are being asked to put it into the black bin. Changes are now being made to update the online bin collection calendars at www.scambs.gov.uk/recycling-and-bins and www.cambridge.gov.uk/bins-recycling-and-rubbish to reflect the suspension of green bin collections.

Head of Greater Cambridge Shared Waste, Bode Esan, said: “I really hope that residents will continue supporting our crews and understand that the decision to suspend green bin collections is not one that we have taken lightly. We have done everything we possibly can to keep all our collection services going, by working hard to cover for absences as well as recruiting new staff. However, we have reached the point where we can’t do this any longer and must prioritise emptying black and blue bins. Please help out our hard-working crews by storing any remaining garden waste and leaves from this autumn and minimise food waste  as much as possible over the coming weeks and the festive period in particular.”

Ends

For further information contact Tom Horn in South Cambridgeshire District Council’s communications team on tom.horn@scambs.gov.uk or 07704 072 548

Further information:

At present, the collections will resume on Wednesday 12 January 2022 in line with the Christmas collection date changes. As the green bin collections would have turned turn to their usual 4-weekly cycle from w/b 27 December/3 January, the suspension is adding an extra two weeks to this, so residents will only be missing one green bin collection throughout the planned suspension. Residents are advised to check the websites for updates and for their collection days via the online calendar which have been updated to reflect this. If you have any other queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

For additional information, below is a copy of the bin collection dates changes over the festive period.

Usual collection day	Revised collection day
Fri 24 Dec 2021	No change
Mon 27 Dec 2021	Wed 29 Dec 2021
Tue 28 Dec 2021	Thu 30 Dec 2021
Wed 29 Dec 2021	Fri 31 Dec 2021
Thu 30 Dec 2021	Tue 04 Jan 2022
Fri 31 Dec 2021	Wed 05 Jan 2022
Mon 03 Jan 2022	Thu 06 Jan 2022
Tue 04 Jan 2022	Fri 07 Jan 2022
Wed 05 Jan 2022	Sat 08 Jan 2022
Thu 06 Jan 2022	Mon 10 Jan 2022
Fri 07 Jan 2022	Tue 11 Jan 2022
Mon 10 Jan 2022	Wed 12 Jan 2022
Tue 11 Jan 2022	Thu 13 Jan 2022
Wed 12 Jan 2022	Fri 14 Jan 2022
Thu 13 Jan 2022	Sat 15 Jan 2022
Fri 14 Jan 2022	Mon 17 Jan 2022
Mon 17 Jan 2022	Tue 18 Jan 2022
Tue 18 Jan 2022	Wed 19 Jan 2022
Wed 19 Jan 2022	Thu 20 Jan 2022
Thu 20 Jan 2022	Fri 21 Jan 2022
Fri 21 Jan 2022	Sat 22 Jan 2022
Mon 24 Jan 2022	Back to normal

An update on contacting the Council

It’s usually easier to contact us online. You can do more online at a time to suit you. Did you know you can complete a short form to update your Council Tax bill if you’ve moved; report a change in your circumstances related to your Benefits; or report a missed bin collection? Just visit our website to do all of the above and more. You can also create a My South Cambs account, to see personalised information – such as your Council Tax payments or your Benefits account.

If you do need to call us, then please bear in mind that our Contact Centre has this month moved across to a single number for most Council services, which is 01954 713 000. This single number replaces the existing suite of 03450 numbers. This is easier for customers as there is now just one number to remember or look-up. It does not cost customers any more money in call charges than the previous 03450 number did. Please note that there are some exceptions to this new number, such as Building Control, Council house repairs or maintenance and out of hours numbers. Our Contact Us website page contains all the details.

We are also pleased to now offer residents who choose to call us a call back feature if call answering times are longer than usual. If the customer waits for five minutes to speak to us on the phone, the call back function will automatically be offered to them. Finally, we are also working on a webchat service so residents will be able to message us at their convenience online. We are working to make this service live in 2022, and further details will follow early next year.

Christmas bin collection dates:

Usual collection day	Revised collection day
Friday 24 December 2021	No change
Monday 27 December 2021	Wednesday 29 December 2021
Tuesday 28 December 2021	Thursday 30 December 2021
Wednesday 29 December 2021	Friday 31 December 2021
Thursday 30 December 2021	Tuesday 4 January 2022
Friday 31 December 2021	Wednesday 5 January 2022
Monday 3 January 2022	Thursday 6 January 2022
Tuesday 4 January 2022	Friday 7 January 2022
Wednesday 5 January 2022	Saturday 8 January 2022
Thursday 6 January 2022	Monday 10 January 2022
Friday 7 January 2022	Tuesday 11 January 2022