COUNCIL services for the elderly, the disabled and children have shut as the national lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus takes effect.

Business rates payments will not be collected and council tax debt recovery has been suspended for three months.

A council spokesman said: “Due to the nature and scale of the situation, we are making decisions on a daily basis as things evolve. We are doing this through our Incident Management Team that has been established.  Our decisions are being taken to ensure the safety of our staff and our residents.”

Older adults, learning disability and mental health day care services are closed  until further notice as are respite services for adults and older people.

But assisted living facilities at Laburnum Lodge, Darley Court and Wilfred Gere will stay open as will the integrated equipment stores and independent living service.

Adult social work teams are refocussing their services on critical activity and safeguarding.

Youth and play services delivered by the council have been stood down until further notice.

This includes all open access sessions as well as childcare provision and short breaks provision delivered by the youth and play service for disabled children and young people.

As time goes on, some targeted provision to support the most vulnerable may be provided.

Following the latest government guidance on social distancing, the council also decided yesterday to close all parks and libraries until further notice.

Recovery action on all council debts, including for prior years, has been suspended for three months.

A council spokesman said: “Staff will be working to proactively ensure residents get access to a range of financial support including Housing Benefit, Discretionary Housing Payments, Council Tax Support and Local Welfare Provision.

“The authority will also ensure that its Council Tax Support Scheme continually changes to reflect changes in national benefits through the council’s discretionary schemes.”

Bolton companies entitled to the extended 100 per cent rates reliefs will no longer be required to pay their business rates bill for 2020/21.

Therefore direct debits due for these businesses on April 1 will not be claimed.

The local authority will agree special payment arrangements with all other businesses who contact the council, initially delaying the first instalment due to July 1 and spreading the remaining instalments over the rest of the year.

A council spokesman said: “We will encourage those business to contact us again in June if they will have difficulty with the July instalment.

“As with residents, all recovery action against businesses, including for prior years, has been suspended for 12 weeks.”

The council is also working closely with the government to enable speedy implementation of the measures announced for businesses and residents over the last few weeks

The Chancellor set out a package of temporary and targeted measures to support public services, people and businesses through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19.

This includes a package of measures to support businesses including:

a Statutory Sick Pay relief package for SMEs

a 12-month business rates holiday for all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England

small business grant funding of £10,000 for all business in receipt of small business rate relief or rural rate relief

grant funding of £25,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with property with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000

the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme offering loans of up to £5 million for SMEs through the British Business Bank

a new lending facility from the Bank of England to help support liquidity among larger firms, helping them bridge coronavirus disruption to their cash flows through loans

the HMRC Time To Pay Scheme

Further information can be found on the Government website.

The council is waiting for confirmation from the Government as to how the grant scheme for businesses will work.

When this information is known this will be published, together with details of how to apply, on www.businessbolton.org.

For more information on support for Bolton businesses, call the Bolton Council contact centre on 01204 333 333.