MIL-OSI UK Cities: Council Service Update for Friday, 13 May 2022

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Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

13 May 2022

 

COVID 19

Derry City and Strabane District Council is operating the majority of its services with a small number of services affected by COVID guidance, and these remain under regular review.

 

Strike action recovery

Please note that all Council Services have now fully resumed following last week’s strike action. We are currently working to support residents in tackling any additional waste that has built up over the past few weeks. Street cleansing and grounds maintenance are both operating as normal, and we are working hard to improve areas which could not be maintained during the course of the strike. We are confident that any backlog will be addressed within the coming weeks.​

 

New Waste and Recycling App

Council has a  new Derry Strabane Recycling App.  It allows the public to sync the bin collections in their area to their calendar so they never miss bin day again! It is also useful to find out up-to-date info on all the local Recycling Centres, top tips on how to recycle better and how to reduce waste at home. It is free to download now on Apple and Android.

 

Summer opening hours

Just a reminder that summer opening hours are in operation from April 01 at all Council Cemeteries which will open from 8am – 8pm, seven days a week.

 

Council civic offices and public buildings – Council’s Civic Offices in Strand Road, Derry and Derry Road, Strabane remain open to the public. Screens are in place and the public will be asked to sanitise on entering and leaving the buildings and adhere to an in-house management system and social distancing guidance. The public are being encouraged to use Council’s online systems where possible and are advised that they can contact Council by phone at 028 71 253253 or by email at [email protected]

  

The Harbour House is open for staff and elected members only.

 

The Guildhall is open to the public – Monday to Friday 9am-8pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 6pm.

The Tower Museum is open to the public – its opening hours are from 9am to 5.30pm daily. 

The Alley Theatre and Visitor Information Centre in Strabane is open to the public from Monday to Friday from 10 am to 4.30pm. 

 

 

 Mayor’s Office – The Mayor Alderman Graham Warke is the current Mayor of the city and he is available for pre-booked meetings and events and is keen to engage with the public. He can be contacted via his office at [email protected] – For more info on the Mayor visit –  https://www.derrystrabane.com/mayor/contact.    

 

RECYCLING CENTRES

 

Please note that summer opening hours are now in operation at recycling centres across Derry and Strabane, which means some centres will stay open later over the coming months.

Full details of opening times and other information regarding access is listed below.

 

·          Pennyburn Recycling Centre – 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 8am-6pm Saturday and 1pm-5pm Sunday

·          Glendermott Road Recycling Centre – Monday to Friday 9:30am – 12noon, 1pm – 4:30pm Monday to Friday, site open to all from 6-8pm with the exception of Thursday night. 8am-6pm on Saturday for bookings and 1pm-5pm on Sunday for bookings. Please note that there is no access for trailers at this site.

·          Strahans Road Recycling Centre – 10am to 4.45 – booking is required for large vans

·          Strathfoyle Recycling Centre – 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 8am-6pm Saturday and 1pm-5pm Sunday

·          Eglinton Recycling Centre – 8am -6pm – booking system, 6-8pm site is open to all. Saturday bookings 8am-6pm (last booking at 5:30pm) Please note that there is no access for trailers at this site.

·          Claudy Recycling Centre – 8am-5pm Monday to Saturday. Vans can have access between 8am-9am no booking required

·          Park Recycling Centre – 8am -5pm Monday to Saturday.

·          Donemana Recycling Centre – 10am to 4.45pm

·          Plumbridge Recycling Centre – 10am-4.45pm

·          Newtownstewart Recycling Centre – 10am-4.45pm

·          Spamont and Castlederg temporary facility – Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm

·          Please note that arrangements for accessing Recycling Centres remain under regular review and while we have lifted some restrictions at some of our sites we are continuing to encourage the public to be cautious and to co-operate fully with our stewards and to plan your journey to our facilities by trying to avoid busy periods.

 

Van drivers access information
Van drivers who use the Recycling Centres within the Derry City and Strabane District Council area are being advised of the following revised arrangements. A new online booking service is now available for large vans attending Council’s main recycling centres at Pennyburn, Strathfoyle and Strahans Road. 
Visitors must book an appointment online at www.derrystrabane.com/clicktorecycle or by phone at 028 7137 6590.  Phone lines remain busy so please avail of this online service if possible.  Exceptions apply for wheelchair accessible vehicles.  
Access to Glendermott Road and Eglinton Recycling Centres is by appointment only during the day and booking is essential. Booking is not required later in the evening at these sites. Cars and small vans will be able to book daytime slots online – there is no access for trailers at this site.
www.derrystrabane.com/clicktorecycle. Alternatively T: 02871376590. For any waste related queries call 02871374107.

If you are travelling to recycling centres please try to do so at quieter times later in the day, allow extra time for your journey, follow the signage and guidelines and co-operate with our staff. 
 
Recycling Centre Closures

Killen Recycling Centre remains temporarily closed. Opening has been extended at the temporary waste disposal site Spamount which is now open five days per week; Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm to dispose of general and green waste only. Cars and small vans are permitted and large vans can access the site between 9 am and 10 am only. Any queries regarding the Killen site, please contact Council on 02871 374107.  
 
Temporary waste disposal service at Castlederg 
A temporary waste disposal facility continues to operate at Spamont Playing Fields in Castlederg to assist those in the rural area of Killen, Castlederg and Killeter, to dispose of additional waste during the pandemic. The service is now open five days per week – Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm to dispose of general and green waste only. Cars and small vans are permitted and large vans can access the site between 9 am and 10 am only.  
Those wishing to dispose of larger items of waste are encouraged to use Council recycling centres at Newtownstewart and Strahans Road, Strabane, or to avail of Council’s free Bulky Waste Collection Service that can be booked online at www.derrystrabane.com/bulkywaste 
The public are advised that in keeping with the Government regulations, a queuing system will be in place and pedestrians will not be permitted on this site. 

 

Bulky Waste Service

Council’s free bulky waste service will resume as normal from next week as we worked to deal with the backlog of the strike. You can  book online via the Council website at www.derrystrabane.com/bulkywaste or contact by phone at 028 71 374107. 
All bookings for collection must be made in advance and items must be left out on the kerbside before 7:30am on the day of the confirmed collection. 

 

Street Cleansing Services

Street Cleansing services are operating as normal.

 

Waste Enforcement Services

Please note that waste enforcement services are fully operational. 

 

Flytipping continues to be an issue for Council and our enforcement team are on the ground actively investigating all incidents of fly-tipping.  It is an offence to dump indiscriminately and you could face a Fixed Penalty Notice or a fine imposed by the court. Protecting our environment and keeping our streets, laneways and greenways clean are still a priority and everyone has their role to play. 
For more information visit www.derrystrabane.com/flytipping

 

General leisure information

Leisure centres are now operating at full capacity with all areas opened for public use including:

 

·         Swimming sessions, health suite and fitness classes remain bookable through our Leisure app and centre reception desks to secure places – please note that booking is no longer essential and walk ins are accepted subject to availability

·         Gym sessions do not need to be booked in advance

·         Sports halls are open for casual court activities and close contact sports

·         Birthday parties are bookable – please contact the relevant centre for further information

 

Please download our leisure app to find all the latest information on all our centres and to book

 

We would like to remind our users that while restrictions have been relaxed we would encourage everyone to be mindful of good hand hygiene, and to use the sanitization stations provided. Please be mindful of others around you and give people plenty of space while training.

Foyle Arena

Please note that the Foyle Arena is operating as a leisure facility and is no longer being used as a Mass Vaccination Centre. For information on where to book a vaccination please go to https://covid-19.hscni.net/get-vaccinated/

 

New online leisure booking system

A new online system that will make it quicker and more convenient to book swimming sessions has been introduced at Council leisure centres.

The new booking system is now fully active and can be used to book both public sessions and lane swimming. Those who book can be fast tracked in line to avoid queuing at leisure centres. Regular users are advised to download the Council leisure app for convenient access to information and booking.

 

 

Prehen Pontoon works

Contractors are currently working on site at the Prehen Boathouse on the creation of a pontoon and the upgrade of the existing car park, as well as the installation of an external platform at the site. This will mean there will be no access to the boathouse lower level and water access steps for a number of weeks.  We will be communicating directly with user groups to advise them of this and to ask for their co-operation.

 

Business support – The Council Business team are available to offer advice and assistance to local businesses on the level of Government business support available and are updated regularly on the Business Support social media platforms.  The Business team are working closely with Government department, statutory agencies and partners as well as other teams across Council to plan and provide support to businesses. For regular updates you can follow on Facebook @Business Support Derry Strabane and Twitter @dcsdbusiness
To make an appointment to speak with one of our Business Advisers contact 028 71 253253 and ask for the Business team.

 

Environmental Health Services

Environmental Health staff are continuing to engage proactively with local businesses to provide advice and support to businesses and the public across the Council area.  Officers are continuing to carry out programmed Food Safety and Health and Safety inspections of businesses. For more info visit – at https://www.derrystrabane.com/Subsites/Health-Community-Wellbeing

Health and Safety at Work
Members of the public and employees seeking advice and information regarding COVID-19 and health and safety at work requirements are encouraged to contact the Council’s Health and Safety and Consumer Protection Team to find out how Council can assist them in ensuring workplaces are safe. For more information visit –www.derrystrabane.com/subsites/Environmental-Health/Health-Safety-and-Consumer-Protection-Team/Health-Safety-at-Work

All sectors need to consider the relevant guidance and risk assess their work activities to ensure risks associated with the potential spread of coronavirus are suitably and sufficiently addressed and all statutory health and safety obligations are met. The HSENI have developed an example COVID-19 risk assessment that shows you the kind of approach that a small business needs to take when carrying out a risk assessment for COVID-19 in the workplace – https://hseni.gov.uk/news/example-risk-assessment-covid-19-workplaces

 

Licensing and Pavement Café Licensing
Applications for pavement café licences continue to be accepted. Use of outdoor space may assist hospitality businesses, such as bars, cafes and restaurants to reopen safely, while maintaining social distancing. Guidance on making an application for a pavement café licence is available at:

https://www.derrystrabane.com/Licensing/Pavement-cafe-licences.

Entertainment Licences
Since restrictions on indoor entertainment have been relaxed, businesses across our Council area are reminded they will require a current Entertainments Licence to permit them to operate. Please contact our Licensing section for advice & assistance – 028 71 253253.

Dog Control Services – Animal Welfare Services
Dog licences can be obtained online at http://council. direct/

Please contact 07512280760 If you are reporting a lost or stray dog.
Please note that Council no longer accepts unwanted dogs.  If you wish to rehome your dog please contact one of our two local animal rehoming charities: Pet FBI (Tel: 07512 280760) or Rainbow Rehoming Centre for Rescue Cats and Dogs (Tel: 028 71 812882).
If you have any queries regarding the Council’s dog control service please email [email protected]

 

 

The Planning Service 

Planning Service continues to operate most services as normal with staff continuing to work from home and the provision of a reduced number of back office staff providing a range of functions to keep the service operational. Site visits have also recommenced for open air urban and rural sites and dynamic risk assessments are carried out to undertake more complex sites.  Some Planning Committee Member site visits have recommenced following dynamic and approved Health & Safety risk assessments.

Planning staff continue to receive new applications and are progressing existing applications in the normal manner, issuing decisions and using technology to engage with customers where necessary.  New applications and revised drawings or any additional information can also be dropped off at the Reception of Strand Road Council Offices. However, the Department is unable to offer external meetings in person but we continue to engage with customers through virtual meetings and phone calls. We are aware that due to operational issues with NI Planning Portal System, there may be slight delays in processing some current planning applications.

 

From March 2022, Planning Committee meetings will be held as hybrid/social distancing meetings in the Guildhall for Elected Members and Senior Officers.  Arrangements will be made to facilitate registered speakers to join the meeting remotely via Webex and meetings will be livestreamed so members of the public can view proceedings via the Council’s YouTube Channel .   This month’s Planning Committee Meeting will take place on Wednesday 18 May at 2pm.  The scheduled list of applications for discussion at forthcoming Planning Committees are published on https://www.derrystrabane.com/Services/Planning one week prior to Committee meetings.

 

 Further information regarding the operation of ‘The Operation of Planning Committee Meetings’ and ‘Addendum to the Operation of the Planning Committee Protocol . Virtual Committee Meetings’ can also be viewed on our website: https://www.derrystrabane.com/Services/Planning.   If you wish to request Speaking Rights at any Planning Committee Meeting, please contact our office directly at: [email protected] or the main office at 📞028 71 253253 and ask to speak to a member of the Planning Service.

 

The Planning Enforcement Service continues to progress and deal with complaints as far as possible with restrictions on some site visits.  However, rural and urban open air sites are now being inspected along with emergency and priority cases being progressed and under regular review.

The Local Development Plan Team has recently prepared and published a Schedule of Proposed Changes to the LDP draft Plan Strategy, accompanied by Addendums to the Sustainability Appraisal, the draft Habitats Regulation Assessment, the Equality Impact Assessment and the Rural Needs Impact Assessment. The documents were subject to a formal 8-week public consultation from 9th December 2021 to 3rd February 2022, to which approximately 25 Comments were received. The Council is now finalising documents, moving towards formal Submission to DfI / PAC at the end of February / early March 2022. All of the LDP documents can be viewed at:  www.derrystrabane.com/ldp. They are also available for inspection during normal office opening hours, strictly by appointment only due to COVID 19 restrictions, at the Council’s two main offices in Derry and Strabane. 
If you do require to inspect them in hard copy, please write to us or submit an email to the [email protected] or telephone the LDP Team during normal office hours on 028 71 253253. Arrangements will be made for an appointment or for alternative arrangements to be made.  The Local Development Plan Team also continues to review and issue Tree Preservation Orders, undertaking site visits where necessary.

 

Building Control Service – The Building Control service will continue to operate with some restrictions. Essential risk assessments and safe systems of work have been developed to enable site inspections to be carried out under controlled conditions. Full plan applications, building notices and regularisation applications are being accepted, registered and assessed. Property certificates are being accepted and processed.

Site inspections – All routine external inspections are being undertaken but internal site inspections are generally limited to unoccupied properties only (i.e. new builds or existing properties that have been vacant for in excess of 72hrs) and were these conditions are met then normal Completion Certificates will be issued. By exception, some internal site inspections of occupied properties may be undertaken but only where it is genuinely impractical to vacate the property. Under these circumstances, officers will agree the inspection conditions with applicants. Dangerous structure inspections are also being undertaken as normal. Virtual inspections, using video and/or photographic evidence along with supporting paperwork, will continue for occupied properties and the resultant Completion Certificates will note the inspection methodology utilised accordingly.
The Building Control service is continuing to provide the other aspects of its service to the public (e.g. postal numbering and street naming) and officers are available to provide advice and assistance – contact via email at [email protected] or from at our website  at www.derrystrabane.com/services/Building-Control.

 

Easy Read version – For those living with pan disability issues, the Council has put together an Easy to Read version of its latest COVID 19 information. This information is updated on a regular basis and is available via the COVID information section of our website.
 
City of Derry Airport –  The public are urged to visit the airport website for live flight information and regular. For more information visit –www.cityofderryairport.com

 Visit Derry – The Centre is open to the public and more info is available at  – www.visitderry.com

 

Council events

Sunday 15 May – Strabane Lifford Half Marathon

 

04 September  – Waterside Half Marathon –

 

Halloween 2022 – Council is delighted that the 2021 Halloween Festival was a fantastic success. A key element of the celebrations was the focus on outdoor events and making sure people attending felt safe.  You can watch back some of the videos and view images from the event on the Halloween website at  www.derryhalloween.com or on the Derry Halloween social media channels. We are already in the planning for next year with tentative dates as follows – 28 -31 October 2022.

 

Foyle Maritime Festival and Clipper Race – It has been confirmed that the Clipper Round the World Race 2019-20 that was cancelled as a result of the pandemic will recommence in February 2022 with a planned stopover in Derry~Londonderry on 20-24 July this year. More information is available on our Derry Strabane Whats On website and social media platforms.

 

Christmas 2022 – Plans are in place to host another hugely successful range of events for Christmas Light Switch On parade in Strabane and Derry following the success of the events last year. More info is available on the Whats On section of our website and on our Whats On Derry Strabane social media platforms.

 

Other up and coming events and dates of note

 

Our Place in Space – 22 April to 22 May – The Bay Road will be brought to life with the incredible Our Place in Space installation that is part of a 10km sculpture trail of the solar system which will animate the city’s riverside for four weeks and feature an epic programme of events. For more info – www.ourplaceinspace.earth/trail/derry-londonderry

 

Green Space Dark Skies, part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, from April to September 2022. Green Space Dark Skies is one of 10 major creative projects commissioned by UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, a celebration of creativity taking place across the UK in 2022, designed to reach millions and bring people together. UNBOXED features free large-scale events, installations and globally accessible digital experiences in the UK’s most ambitious showcase of creative collaboration. 
Each event will depend on confirmation of landowner permissions, approval of event plans and local stakeholder engagement and therefore event locations and dates may be subject to change: Lagan Valley AONB (30 April); Sperrin AONB (25 June); and Causeway Coast AONB (2 July). If you would like to take part in Green Space Dark Skies register at https://greenspacedarkskies.uk/get-involved/

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