Dundee City Council Response to Coronavirus Pandemic

As a response to the coronavirus pandemic, Dundee City Council is taking steps to support people and communities through this challenging time.

A network of Community Support Centres will be established at the following locations across the city:

• Balgarthno Campus

• Claypotts Castle Primary

• Coldside Campus

• Grove Academy

• North East Campus

• Rowantree Primary

• St Paul’s Academy

• Tayview Primary

These Community Support Centres will provide a range of coordinated support to assist people during the crisis, starting on Monday with the provision of childcare for key workers and vulnerable children.

None of the centres will be open to the public apart from the essential childcare provision as the council is asking people to follow national advice and stay at home to save lives.

Members of the public continue to be encouraged to use online services wherever possible, as well as email and telephone (contact 433129 for general enquiries or 431205 for Council Tax, Council Tax Reduction or Housing Benefit enquiries).

The website www.dundeecity.gov.uk signposts many sources of support during the Coronavirus outbreak, and provides a portal for online payments and services.

The Community Support Centres will serve as focal points for distribution and outreach services for people who face challenges due to the continuing pandemic, and also allow the council to identify where intervention is needed.

Staff will offer a telephone and email-based advice and information contact service on a range of issues, including financial advice and applications, as well as signposting to other services.

The city council is also working with Dundee Volunteer and Voluntary Action to co-ordinate the recruitment and deployment of volunteers from the centres.

Childcare provision at the centres will be available from 8am to 6pm from Monday. It is only for the children of key workers who have secured places for their children through an application process, and vulnerable young people who have been identified by the council.

The new arrangements follow a week in which childcare was provided to these groups at every school in the city ahead of the network of centres being established.

Work at the Community Support Centres will develop as the coronavirus situation continues and impacts on individuals and communities.

Council leader John Alexander said: “We are facing an unprecedented challenge and the council is acting quickly to put arrangements in place that will assist some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

“These centres aim to support our communities and help the council and its partners to co-ordinate efforts and target aid where it is most needed.

“I cannot stress strongly enough that these centres are not for the public to visit. People should stay home to help save lives.

“The centres allow us to organise and deploy services at a time when the country is facing a host of restrictions to help combat the spread of infection. They will offer support in a new way.

“For example, more and more people will need financial advice around a host of issues if their circumstances have changed because of the pandemic, and our staff can offer practical advice that will really make a difference.

“I would also like to thank Dundee Volunteer and Voluntary Action and those who are volunteering for their efforts in this city response.”

Eric Knox, chief executive of Dundee Volunteer and Voluntary Action added: “The Third and Voluntary Sector have been heavily involved with the planning to support communities.

“The food providers have been working flat out to get food parcels out to those in need. We now have over 300 volunteers who can come forward to help. We will be involving them in a range of activities across the city. The response of organisations and individuals has been fantastic in such a short period of time.”