04 June 2021

Dear Colleagues,

I hope those of you who have had some time off over the half term week have had a good break and have enjoyed some of the nice weather. 

I’d like to start this message with a big thank you to all of the frontline teams who continued to work hard over the bank holiday weekend – I know country parks and resorts were particularly busy due to the good weather so thank you for maintaining our high standards as always. I’d also like to thank the waste management crews who I know have had a busy week this week with additional waste to collect, I hope you all know how much your work is appreciated.

Today the Welsh Government has confirmed the next stages of easing restrictions in Wales. The following will come into effect on Monday 7 June:

• Household bubbles can be extended to include up to three households, in addition to existing support bubbles.
• Outdoor gatherings of up to 30 people can now take place, prior to this only organised and regulated events could take place with 30 people outdoors.
• Outdoor regulated gatherings (events): maximum capacities will be 4,000 for standing events and 10,000 for seated events. A single set of rules will cover all events.

Whilst this is a more cautious easing of restrictions than may have been expected, it is a reminder what while we are all looking forward to a life post-Covid, we must all continue to work together to keep the virus at bay. One of the ways we can do this is by ensuring we are vaccinated against COVID-19. This week saw the 500,000th vaccine dose administered in Cardiff and the Vale. This is a huge achievement and a demonstration of how far we have come in just a few short months. For anyone who may have missed their appointment for their first dose, the Bayside mass vaccination centre in Cardiff is extending its walk-in appointment offer until this Sunday. 

Next week we will be marking Carers’ Week. This is an important occasion for us to commemorate each year, but this year in particular has been extremely challenging. Many carers will have had little respite and it is important that we all take a moment to appreciate what they do for their loved ones. 

Pride Month also takes place in June and is marked internationally as a celebration of the LGBT+ community. We’ll be showing our support in a number of ways through our website and social media channels and our LGBT+ colleagues and allies' network, GLAM, will also be marking this important occasion. I will highlight more of this work as Pride Month progresses.   

Finally, the deadline for EU Citizens and their families to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme is 30 June. It is estimated that there are around 3,000 EU citizens living in the Vale of Glamorgan. The most recent Home Office data shows that a total of 1,870 applications to the EUSS had been made up to March 2021 for those residing in the Vale of Glamorgan. This suggest that whilst just over half of eligible EU citizens have applied for settled status, there are still a number yet to apply. If you or anyone you know needs to apply, please visit https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families.  

Thank you all for your continued dedication to public service. I hope you have a good weekend. Take care.

Diolch yn fawr,

Rob