No cuts to council services - for now
Susan Aitken pledge to keep council open through lockdown
The leader of Glasgow City Council, Susan Aitken, is telling Clyde 1 listeners there won't be immediate changes to vital services despite the new lockdown.
First Minister announced a legally-enforceable stay-at-home order on Monday in response to soaring numbers of coronavirus cases over the festive period, with particular concern about the new, faster-spreading varient of Covid-19 which now accounts for half of all cases in Scotland.
It puts Glasgow and the west back into the toughest restrictions since the lockdown of March 2020, with schools closed to all pupils exepect those regarded as the most vulnerable and children of key workers.
Back then a wide range of council services - from libraries to recycling centres - were shut down, but Susan Aitken says the situation will be different this time.
Changes not ruled out
She told us: "We're not looking to make any changes to services in the immediate future. Other than schools our expectation at the moment is that most services will continue as normal as people expect.
"It is a fast moving situation so we may have to make changes at some point in the future, but we'll let the city know at that point and we're not at that point now.
Ms Aitken says services like waste collection and road gritting will be assessed on an ongoing basis, especially where the pandemic affects staffing, with workers falling ill or having to self-isolate.
"Gritting service are always an issue at this time of year, and always a challenge. We've got a combination of very difficult weather conditions and only a finite number of staff."
Glasgow cases highest in Scotland
Figures published on Tuesday showed 2,529 new coronavirus cases across Scotland in the previous 24 hours, with Glasgow accounting for more than 400, nearly double the figure of any other single council area.
Around half of the new cases are thought to be the new variant, and the proportion is rising.
Nationally, the number of hospital patients confirmed to have coronavirus has also risen steeply to 1,347, up 255 in a week.
Of these patients, 93 are in intensive care, an increase of 28 in the same period.
Lockdown rules
The legally-enforceable stay-at-home order applies across mainland Scotland and Skye, with people only permitted to leave their home for an essential purpose'', such as essential shopping, exercise, caring for someone or being part of an extended household.
Anyone able to work from home must do so. However, those shielding to protect themselves from Covid-19 should not go into work - even if they cannot work from home.
The numbers of those allowed to gather outside to just two people from two different households, instead of the previous limit of six people from two households.
However, children aged 11 and under are not included in this limit and can still play outdoors in larger groups, including in organised gatherings''.
From Friday, places of worship must close but can open to broadcast a service or conduct a funeral, wedding or civil partnership.
A maximum of 20 people can attend a funeral service but wakes are banned, while up to five people can attend weddings and civil partnership services.
Police Scotland Chief Constable Iain Livingstone also confirmed there will be "increased patrols'' in Scotland's communities, and said and officers will continue to act against anyone making "wilful breaches'' of the law.
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