'Stop panic buying' urges council leader

"Let’s not go mad in the shops," says Phil Bialyk

Exeter City Council’s leader has urged shoppers to stop panic buying and said that the council will continue to deliver its services to the public.

Cllr Phil Bialyk said that everyone has to play their part to make sure that should the COVID-19 outbreak worsen and reach a further stage, the RDE Hospital and the NHS services can cope with the potential demand.

He added that the council’s main concern is ensuring that they can continue to deliver services to the public and that they are still there to help residents with their problems.

The council house response repairs service continues to operate as normal at the moment, but prior to anyone attending, residents will be contacted to find out if their household is self-isolating.

Recycling collections are continuing as normal, but the council has issued guidance for people with confirmed or possible COVID-19 as to how to dispose of their waste.

Cllr Bialyk said: “Our main concern is to make sure that we can continue throughout this crisis to deliver services to the public, how they can access our services, how we can deal with them, but to assure members of the public and tenants of the council that we are still here and are operating and can help them with their particular problems.

“We are working with Devon County Council and the care services. There is still a lot of work to be done and we want to help other people and we need to look out for our neighbours.”

Speaking to those who have been panic buying, he said: “Let’s not go mad in the shops everyone. Let’s not store food as we’ve got to eat it at some stage. Let’s be sensible out there and think of others, and if we work together as a city, we will get through this and help those who need our help.”

Cllr Bialyk added that he urged people to keep themselves well and social distancing was needed in order so that should the crisis reach further stages, the RDE and the NHS services can cope with the potential demand.

He said: “Many of us may get the virus but most of us will be able to cope at home by looking after ourselves at home, self-isolating, and not spreading it around. There are vulnerable people with conditions – I’m included with asthma and diabetes – and I need to deal with it and take care of myself. This is what we all have to do to not put the stress on the NHS.”

Guidance for people with confirmed or possible COVID-19: how to dispose of waste

• Keep your waste inside for at least 72 hours before putting it into the correct wheelie bin.
• Store personal waste (like used tissues) and disposable cleaning cloths securely in rubbish bags.
• Place these bags within a second bag, tie it securely and store it in a separate room from where you are self-isolating.
• Keep the bags there for at least 72 hours before putting them into your black wheelie bin outside.
• If you do not have a wheelie bin, follow the procedure outlined above and then place the double-bagged waste outside in your seagull-proof sack after 6pm on the night before your usual collection day.
• Recycling and garden waste can be placed in your usual bins.
• Please carry on recycling. It is vital that those self-isolating keep using the correct bins. Overfilling the black bin may result in spillages and loose rubbish in the streets.

Dan Hayward-Smith, the council’s Allotments Manager, confirmed there will be no plot inspections taking place across Exeter’s allotment sites until further notice and no warning or eviction letters for non-cultivation will be sent out to tenants until this outbreak has passed.

He added: “We urge all our allotment holders to do what they can to their plots to help reduce the growth of weeds and grasses during this time that may overwhelm the plot if you are unable to visit for an extended period.

“As a Council we will also face restrictions over the coming weeks as to what we are capable of doing in terms of maintenance and repairs that might be needed. We will try and rectify these issues when we can, but it might be necessary in the mean time for allotment associations to come up with short term solutions themselves. Hopefully this should all be over soon and the sites can be back to normal quickly.”

Exeter City Council had previously announced that the Topsham Ferry would not be operating until further notice, while the RAMM, the Underground Passages, the Corn Exchange, the Visitor Information Centre and the Guildhall are closed to the public.