Latest information on closures within Solihull Council Services

Latest information
Last reviewed: Monday 23 March 2020 at 10.15am
Closures and changes to Council services
Where there is more information on the individual service page we have provided a link below. Please also check our latest news page for updates about non-Council services which are changing.
Closures
 Day services for people with disabilities – Closed from Monday 23 March until further notice
 Day services for adults over 65 – Closed from Monday 23 March until further notice.
 Core Theatre and Studio – closed to the public for the foreseeable future
 Community Centres – closed to the public for the foreseeable future
 Council meetings – all Council meetings postponed until further notice
 Council events – all Council-run events cancelled until further notice
 Council leisure centres to close until further notice
 Libraries – All Libraries are now shut. See here for further information
Changes to Council Services
 Garden waste collections – postponed until further notice
 Bulky waste collections– suspended until further notice
 Solihull4Success – Guidance for Businesses on Covid-19
 Support for individuals and businesses
 Solihull schools will be closed for most pupils until further notice, but will be providing a service for children of key workers and vulnerable children in line with the recent . A very small number of schools are unable to open on Monday and we are working with them so they are able to reopen as soon as possible. For further details please visit your school’s own website, which can be found here
 Public Transport – Information about transport in the West Midlands
Solihull Council is working closely with the local NHS and other local organisations including our schools to respond to Covid-19 as the situation changes.
Do I need to avoid public places?
The latest advice from the Government and the NHS is:
Everyone in the UK should avoid non-essential travel and contact with others.
Everyone should work from home where they can and avoid pubs, clubs, cinemas, theatres and any other non-essential contact with other people. People should also avoid large gatherings and non-essential use of public transport.
People in at-risk groups will be asked within days to stay home for 12 weeks, self isolating as much as possible.
These groups including pregnant women, people over the age of 70 and those with certain underlying health conditions. For more information on this, please click here.
Further information can be found on our Community Advice Sheet: Five ways people can help to support themselves, their loved ones and their community
“Together we can help to keep safe, keep calm and keep well”
Frequently asked questions
What can I do to protect myself?
The best protection against any virus is:
Do
 cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
 put used tissues in the bin immediately
 wash your hands with soap and water often – use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
 try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell
Don’t
 Touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean
A national campaign is promoting this with the public and the government will issue more advice to the public as the picture develops.
Please be aware that this is a fast moving situation and we will continue to share any new advice at the earliest opportunity.
What are the signs and symptoms
The best place to find up to date information about coronavirus including what it is can be found here.
The infection is mild for most people, including children. Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease) may be at higher risk of more serious illness.
Where should I go for the most up to date information?
For up to date information about the current UK situation as well as advice on travel, please go here.
This is a fast moving situation so you can check the latest position here.
What is the current position for schools?
Public Health England have issued national advice to all our schools and school nurses and will continue to update this as the situation changes.
We have also issued information to schools to hand out to parents and carers. Schools do not need to close unless specifically advised to do so by Public Health England.
The DfE has set up a helpline offering guidance for anyone with education related questions: 0800 046 8687 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm) or DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk.
What plans are in place for Council services and staff?
We are following national guidance around how to protect Council staff in the event of a coronavirus outbreak and will also produce local guidelines where needed. Staff will be given regular updates on what this means as the situation changes.
We are also sharing guidance with other agencies that provide services for Solihull residents including social care to make sure that they are taking the right steps to respond to coronavirus.
We are also encouraging our staff to share the national information with friends and family and to sign-post members of the public to these reliable sources of advice if they have any concerns or queries.
If there are any changes to Council services these pages will be updated with the current information.