Furniture and computers could be moved as parish centre plans for reopening
Furniture and computers could be removed from the public areas of a parish centre in Telford as it reopens after the coronavirus lockdown, councillors have heard.
Stirchley and Brookside Parish Council clerk Gillian Bailey said staff were “keen” to return to work at the Sambrook Centre, but the number of people on site would need to be limited.
Community and facilities manager Sam Middleton said parish council staff had helped 66 local people with daily tasks during the Covid-19 crisis, and Mrs Bailey told members they should be “extremely proud” of them.
Mrs Bailey said Telford & Wrekin Council would look at reopening its premises, on Grange Avenue, Stirchley, over the summer, and the parish council would follow its lead. A spokesman said the local authority was considering options but had not set any dates.
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Mrs Middleton, who is also the parish council’s deputy clerk, said: “We’ve helped 66 of our local people – things like shopping, collecting prescriptions, delivering samples, dog-walking, all sorts of things, as well as providing 300 meals-a-week from Brook Park Cafe to old people and families whose kids might not otherwise get a meal.”
She said that, in one week, she received nearly 300 phone calls, messages or emails, but “thankfully, it has quietened down now”.
“Lots of people haven’t got anybody else, and they are used to calling the parish number,” she added.
Risk-assessed
Mrs Bailey said the potential reopening of the Sambrook Centre had been risk-assessed.
“We would be looking to have maximum and minimum numbers of people,” she said.
“I think a maximum of three in the office would mean we can keep distance from each other.”
She said Telford & Wrekin Council was due to look at reopening many of its premises to the public over the summer, and Stirchley and Brookside Parish Council would “follow suit”.
Chairman Jackie Loveridge said: “I think it’s just something we should take one step at a time, and going with the guidelines.”
Mrs Bailey said she had ordered a transparent plastic screen, and furniture and publicly-accessible computers could be removed to reduce the risk of infection and prevent people staying unnecessarily long.
A spokesperson for Telford & Wrekin Council said the authority was “working through options” with no firm dates set yet.
“At present the government advice is to work at home if you are able to,” he added.
