Here’s what Crawley’s council leader said during coronavirus Q&A

Panic buying, parks and social distancing were among the topics raised during a question and answer session held online by the leader of Crawley Borough Council.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Peter Lamb took to Twitter on Thursday evening (March 27) for the first of such sessions, which will continue during the coronavirus crisis.

One Worcester Road resident asked when the council would be closing Tilgate Park, saying they had seen ‘hundreds of idiots’ walking to the park and not following advice to stay two metres apart.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Lamb responded: “Crawley’s parks don’t have fences or gates and in several cases have roads and paths running through them.

“There isn’t any way of physically closing the parks. However, we’re using Community Wardens to disperse crowds where reported.”

Another resident thought closing the parks would be ‘a disastrous idea’ anyway and asked what could be done to encourage people to take exercise while respecting social distancing?  

With the wardens unable to be everywhere at once, Mr Lamb stressed the need for people to take responsibility for their own actions.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He added: “One person ignoring rules is likely to infect three others. Ten iterations later that’s 59,000 people or 1,180 deaths they have caused.

Crawley council leader Peter LambCrawley council leader Peter Lamb
Crawley council leader Peter Lamb

“Stay at home – save lives.”

He assured one resident that the town’s allotments would stay open but asked for plots to be covered over if they were not being used.

Panic buying and stockpiling are never far from people’s thoughts and Mr Lamb was asked what local authorities could do to police the situation ‘which is leaving those most vulnerable without food and essential supplies’.

The council has set up a support network, with ‘quite a few’ people volunteering already to help where needed – though Mr Lamb said more were always welcome.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He added that the council was now working on identifying those at risk and ‘mostly waiting on getting the food supply chain from Government’.

Anyone who has volunteered to help will be contacted by the network team, who will try to match roles with people’s skills.

In the meantime, leaflets are being posted to every home in Crawley telling people who to contact if they need help – email [email protected] – as well as another which they can fill in to offer help to a vulnerable neighbour (pictured).

When asked how he felt about companies on Manor Royal staying open, leaving employees to choose ‘if their health or their pay is more important’, Mr Lamb was clear.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: “Viruses can’t move themselves, only people can move them.

“I’d ask every employer still running in Crawley to consider whether what they are doing is essential and, if not, ask whether the way they are operating is putting lives first.”

Things were not so clear when it came to the building of the new town hall.

One resident asked why construction work was still being carried out by Kier Group on the new town hall.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: “The government has asked for all non-critical work to cease. This is not critical work. As the client, why won’t Crawley Council force their contractors to stand down?”

Mr Lamb said this was not the council’s decision and Kier Group had been told to ‘ditch our timetable’ last week.

A spokesman for Kier said: “The health, safety and welfare of our people is paramount and, as a responsible business, we have reviewed our sites to ensure they can operate in a way which continues to comply with the Construction Leadership Council’s site operating procedures, which are based on the Government’s instructions.

“Following this review, the sites that are able to comply with these procedures, which includes Crawley Town Hall, continue to be operational.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Another issue on people’s minds was money and the problems some people faced paying their rent.

Mr Lamb said evictions from council properties had been banned, adding: “Where arrears have been accrued due to financial hardship brought about by the crisis we will work with tenants to find a solution.”

One person asked when the council would announce it would not be collecting council tax ‘for facilities no longer available’.

Mr Lamb said: “Covid-19 is pushing our costs up.

“Non-essential services which have shut down tend to be ones which generate revenue, while most staff are being moved to focus on emergency response.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He added: “If you’re struggling with council tax help is available.”

A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton:

Thank you for reading this story on our website.

But I also have an urgent plea to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality local news on this free-to-read site and in print, please purchase a copy of our newspaper as well. With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on our town centres and many of our valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you buying a copy.

Our journalists are highly trained by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards anywhere in the world. Our content is universally trusted - as all independent research proves.

As Baroness Barran said in a House of Lords debate this week on the importance of journalists: “Not only are they a trusted source of facts, but they will have a role to play in rallying communities and getting the message across about how we can keep ourselves and our families safe, and protect our NHS. Undoubtedly, they have a critical role.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis. In return we will continue to forensically cover the local news - not only the impact of the virus but all the positive and uplifting news happening in these dark days.

In addition, please write to your MP urging the Government to provide some additional financial support for local newspapers and their websites like this one and ensuring that supermarkets continue to stock them. I cannot stress enough how important such an intervention would be.

We thank all our readers and advertisers for their understanding and support - and we wish YOU all the best in the coming weeks. Keep safe, and follow the Government advice. Thank you.