The leader of Croydon Council has issued a statement following the latest Government advice regarding the coronavirus.

In a message posted to the council's site he said: "I wanted to update you on how we are ensuring we continue to deliver vital public services while following the all-important guidance to help keep us all safe.

"It is imperative that as a council and a community, we are all now doing everything we can to prevent the spread of coronavirus and reduce the risk to ourselves and others.

"This means following government guidance about staying at home, social distancing and self-isolating if you or a member of your household has symptoms.

"To protect you and all of our staff, we have closed some council buildings and cancelled all public meetings until further notice.

"However I want to stress that our buildings may be closed, but we are still here.

"We are working around the clock to ensure that despite this public health crisis, we collect the bins; keep the streets clean; and care for the most vulnerable, including children and the elderly." He added that this may mean reducing some of the councils services.

Cllr Newman added: "However, I want to assure you that we will do everything we can, and continue to work closely with our all our partners to make sure that everyone gets the help they need.

"You can find the latest updates on council services on our COVID-19 web page, and we will continue to stay in touch through our weekly Your Croydon newsletter. We want to reach as many people as possible so do subscribe.

"Above all, please, please stay home, stay safe. And if you need help, please do ask – if you are experiencing difficulties, there is support available and you can find out more on our webpage."

Schools

Schools across Croydon closed to most children on Friday, but remain open for some children who meet government criteria, including those whose parents are key workers or who are classed as particularly vulnerable.

The demand for these places has been higher than anticipated and I must remind you all that our priority must be to prevent the spread of coronavirus and protect everyone’s health. We will only achieve this by keeping the numbers of children in schools low.

These places are for families who have no other option, so if you are a key worker and your child could stay at home with their other parent, please do consider whether you really need one.

Parks and open spaces

I know how incredibly important outside space is to all of us for exercise and for our mental health. Our parks and open spaces are currently open but I would urge everyone to ensure they are following government guidance – which is to stay at home where at all possible.

If you must go out you should follow the guidance on social distancing, which is to remain two metres apart from others at all times, even when outside.

To protect you and reduce the risk of infection, we are now asking you not to use playground equipment or outdoor gyms in parks, and the toilets and car parks will be closed.

Croydon Works

Any residents who have lost their jobs or been made redundant as a result of the coronavirus pandemic can contact Croydon Works, the council’s jobs brokerage service about new opportunities.

There are a number of roles currently available in logistics, retail, healthcare and security, with inductions available from next week.

For more visit croydonworks.co.uk or email info@croydonworks.co.uk

Volunteering – how you can help

Thousands of you continue to volunteer, to help your neighbours and your wider community in this very difficult time, and it is inspirational to see. If you want to get involved, Croydon Voluntary Action can help you to volunteer where it will have the most impact. You can sign up online on their webpage.

We will keep you updated about these and other ways we are working to support you. Please take care of yourselves and keep visiting our webpage for more information.