Lillington, Whitnash and Milverton recorded the highest Covid infection levels in Warwickshire in the past fortnight. More broadly, local case numbers continued to rise sharply from 624.5 to 706 per 100,000 people in the last seven days.

Most schools were able to remain open through to the half-term break. Hopefully the holiday will help check our rising infection levels, providing some respite from recent increases. We’re hopeful too that along with the imminent rollout of the booster jab, we might just avoid the need to implement the Government’s Plan B and address further disruption during the forthcoming winter months.

We can all play our part in dealing with rising infection levels by continuing to take regular tests, ensuring that we’re fully vaccinated and then taking-up the offer of third booster jab when it’s our turn. If we don’t have any Covid-19 symptoms, but would like the peace of mind of knowing we’re not infected, then a visit to the mobile testing service could be just what’s needed. The service will be handing out Lateral Flow Test kits from 9am to 4pm on:

          Saturday 30 October at St Nicholas Park, Warwick
          Tuesday 2 November at All Saints Church, Leamington
          Wednesday 3 November at Warwick Market Place.

This week’s highlights from our recovery plan include:

• News on the route for the CWG22 Cycling Road Races, scheduled to take place on Sunday 7 August 2022. The men's and women's races will follow a circular route, which is planned to start and finish at Warwick’s St Nicholas Park, looping around Warwick before passing Victoria Park and heading through Leamington Spa. Why not check-out the race route and plan where you might cheer-on the competitors as they lap the circuit?
   
• Commonwealth Games excitement is building with the tour to the UK by the Malaysian lawn bowls team, who were much impressed by the new greens in Victoria Park when they visited last week. During the visit the team presented the Council with a commemorative crystal paperweight, to show their appreciation for the hospitality they received and for the work undertaken to prepare the greens for next year’s Games. Whilst in the UK the Malaysian team will be playing international indoor bowls matches against the home nations between 3 and 6 November.
   
• Local, third sector organisations, including charities and not-for-profit businesses, whose services continue to be disrupted by the pandemic and government restrictions, are being invited to apply for a ‘one-off’ grant payment. Our enterprise team has partnered with the Coventry Cooperative Development Agency to administer the new ARG Third Sector Scheme through which one-off grant payments of up to £12,500 will be made to local, third sector organisations at a time when their services are in greatest demand. The funding will help ensure they are able to continue to provide the support needed across our community through the winter ahead. Please visit our website next Monday 1 November when this new scheme will be launched and information provided on how to submit an application.

As we celebrate Diwali, the forthcoming Gurpurab of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and start the countdown to Christmas, please join us for ‘Leamington’s Big Lights Switch On’ next Sunday 7 November. FREE parking will be available all day in our off-street car parks and at the Royal Priors to support the event.

And finally, a really big thank you to everyone who took the time and trouble to respond to our recent consultations on future plans for the Riverside House site and the proposal to create a single South Warwickshire District Council. Councillors will be reflecting carefully on the views your shared when decisions are taken on 4 November for Riverside House, and on 13 December for the council merger proposal. Remember, you can tune-in and follow the debate at these key Council meetings, via our YouTube Channel.

Keep smiling and stay safe.

Cllr Andrew Day
Leader, Warwick District Council

Chris Elliott
Chief Executive, Warwick District Council