A new email address and phone number have been set up by Nottinghamshire County Council to help isolated residents get the support they need.

They are enquiries@nottscc.gov.uk, and phone number, 0300 500 8080.

Newark and Sherwood District Council has also formed a humanitarian assistance response team (Hart) in conjunction to lead efforts locally.

The email address, enquiries@nottscc.gov.uk, should be the first means of registering yourself for this support and those unable to access the internet, can use the telephone number, 0300 500 8080, which will link you directly to a team of 120 people who can help individuals with the supply of food, necessities and other vital assistance.

Hart will work with the county council, to lead on efforts locally and to coordinate the work that is required to help vulnerable residents.

All staff working on the Hart team will be authorised and accredited by the council to do so.

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All Newark and Sherwood residents should ensure that they liaise directly with the county council and with the district council Hart team at this unprecedented time.

The Hart’s immediate focus will be those who live in Newark and Sherwood that have been identified by the NHS as among the 1.5 million who have been told to self-isolate for a recommended period of 12 weeks, as well as older people and those with income challenges.

The Government is liaising with supermarkets to ensure that basic food packages can be supplied to all those eligible.

This new email address and phone number is set up to allow vulnerable residents and community groups to access their local community hub.

In addition to helping isolated residents, the district council is also mapping the community groups that are already in place and will then help plug the gaps where there is a need.

If you are a community group, faith group, charity, parish or town council that is planning to support people self-isolating please make contact either via email, preferably to enquiries@nottscc.gov.uk including 'Volunteering' in the subject line, or by calling 0300 500 8080.

You need to provide the following information:

• Your name/organisation

• Contact details — postal, telephone and email address

• Have you been DBS checked?

• Area of Nottinghamshire in which you are able to provide support

• What support you can offer

District council leader David Lloyd said: “This is a national emergency and we need to respond swiftly and effectively to support the most vulnerable in our communities who will be deeply impacted by the need to self-isolate, given the critical state of the coronavirus pandemic in the UK.

"I am confident and determined that our communities will rise to the challenge and help pull us through these really challenging times. I would encourage anyone who has no support not to suffer, but to email or call the new helpline.

"In addition, if you are part of a community group that is able to help us at this time, then please either call the helpline or email us.

"I want to thank everyone involved in this project for their speed, focus and dedication to helping our community.”

Mr Lloyd is to hold a Facebook Live on Friday at noon on the council's response to the pandemic and help for the vulnerable.

The county council launched the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire community support and volunteering hub at 10am on Monday, March 23.The telephone support service on 0300 500 8080 is open between 8.30am-5.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Further information can be found here.

From Wednesday, March 25, the following facilities will be closed to the public:

Castle House, all play parks, Hawtonville local office, Newark, Ollerton local office, Ollerton advice and jobs centre, Ollerton Town Hall, The Buttermarket, Newark, Southwell advice centre, Sherwood Forest arts and crafts centre, Edwinstowe, Newark Beacon business centre and the public conveniences at The Gilstrap, Newark.

The district council's customer services will remain open as normal to help residents with enquiries but are prioritising critical ones. For this service you can call 01636 650000 or email customerservices@nsdc.info

For customers with complex needs who are unable to use these contact methods, the council will have procedures in place to provide services to them via their carer or nominated representative on a case-by-case basis.

New bookings for bulky waste collection are also being suspended but existing bookings will go ahead. Green, silver and brown bins will still be emptied as normal.

District council carparks and Newark Lorry Park will remain open.

Building control, which is provided by a shared service, will now only visit dangerous structures or other extreme situations. All other site inspections have been suspended. For more information visit here.

By the end of this week, the council will issue £10,000 and £25,000 grants to eligible businesses as part of the coronavirus support package.

This includes a £10,000 grant per business in receipt of small business rates relief and rural rates relief; £10,000 grant per business (if it does not qualify for the former) in the retail, hospitality and leisure sector with rateable value of £15,000 or less as of March 11; and a £25,000 grant per business in the retail, hospitality and leisure sector with a rateable value of more than £15,000 but under £51,000 as of March 11.

Businesses with a rateable value of £51,000 or over are not eligible for this scheme but may be for assistance via the coronavirus business interruption loan fund.

The council is also supporting businesses by deferring value added tax (VAT) payments for three months and, if you're self employed, income tax payments due in July this year under the self-assessment system, will be deferred to January 2021.

For VAT, the deferral applies until June 30, 2020. For more information about business support, visit here.

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