March 20, 2020 10.11 am This story is over 48 months old

North Lincolnshire Council to close public buildings in response to coronavirus

It becomes the latest council to do so
Church Square House, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire Council's offices. Picture: Calvin Robinson.

North Lincolnshire Council will close most public buildings in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Leisure centres, libraries, museums, children’s centres and recreational facilities will be closed from 4pm today (Friday, March 20).

Staff who normally run the facilities will be asked to refocus efforts to help the most vulnerable in the region.

Household waste and recycling services will continue as normal and the registrar service will be available from Church Square House in Scunthorpe.

You can follow live updates on Coronavirus from around Lincoln and Lincolnshire in our live blog.

Councillor Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council. Photo: Steve Smailes for Lincolnshire Reporter

Council leader Rob Waltham said the whole region needs to support those at the most risk from the virus.

“We are facing challenging times as a council, as communities and as a country. We need to be good neighbours in the coming weeks to help people in our communities,” he said.

“New national guidelines will seriously limit social contact in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

“The pace of change is significant and we are now asking people to act as good neighbours so that the council can concentrate on the most vulnerable.”

The authority becomes to latest to close buildings and implement emergency measures in Greater Lincolnshire.

North East Lincolnshire Council has closed Grimsby Auditorium, The Fishing Heritage Centre, Ross Tiger and The Time Trap Museum.

A number of council meetings across Greater Lincolnshire have been cancelled. Picture: Daniel Jaines.

Council leader, Philip Jackson, said he expected the virus to stretch already under pressure council resources further.

Meanwhile, Lincolnshire County Council laid out a raft of measures including asking staff to work from home and suspending most formal committee meetings.

The council’s announcements follow both Lincoln and Boston councils, among others, cancelling meetings and services across the county.

South Kesteven, North Kesteven, West Lindsey and East Lindsey have also introduced measures in response to the virus.

It comes as 10 cases of Coronavirus have been confirmed in Greater Lincolnshire, with eight in Lincolnshire and two in North Lincolnshire.

No cases have been confirmed in North East Lincolnshire.

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