Three new COVID-19 ‘ambassadors’ are now ‘on patrol’ to ensure Thanet’s businesses follow regulations.
Thanet council says the trio will support the authority’s Environmental Health team and visit the 1,400 food and licensed premises in the district to provide advice and guidance on how to comply with the current COVID-19 legislation.
Ambassadors, who have experience from uniformed services, have been given a full training programme and will be:
- Educating and explaining COVID-19 Secure guidelines for business premises
- Identifying and supporting businesses and premises not following guidelines, escalating as appropriate
- Leaving a help-sheet, signposting businesses to government guidance as well as the council’s business advice, environmental health and licensing webpages
- Checking and promoting the visibility of COVID-19 Secure messaging.
Reports of breaches will be passed to the council’s Environmental Health Officers who will then carry out any enforcement action.
Cllr Steve Albon, Cabinet Member for Operational Services at Thanet District Council said: “In June of this year, when restrictions eased following the first national lockdown, the vast majority of the district’s venues scrupulously complied with the regulations designed to ensure the safety of customers and stop the further spread of COVID-19. There were, however, a handful of venues who did not follow proper procedures and potentially put lives at risk.
“Our COVID-19 Ambassador team will help support our businesses when they can start trading again. They will work with licensees and owners to remind them of their responsibilities and the tough action that will be taken against anyone found to be breaking the rules. Paramount in our minds is people’s safety and it is only by everyone playing their part and following the regulations that we will suppress this virus.”
The ambassadors do not have any enforcement powers but will assist by sending referrals to the council’s Covid Enforcement Manager who passes it to the joint working group of Kent Police, Trading Standards and Kent County Council.
The roles are being funded by £92,000 received from the Government’s COVID-19 Emergency Funding for Local Government. They are in addition to the street wardens who are in the high streets.
This is good news, it shouldn’t be for residents to name and shame.
I have been in two food shops in recent weeks in Ramsgate Town Centre where more people were in the shop than signs on the door stipulate. I have queried with staff in those shops on both occasions. One replied they hadn’t noticed, one didn’t reply at all.
It isn’t good enough. If you are open, please stick to your own rules.
Other shops are running their own show wonderfully.
Are covering large supermarkets as well. Morrisons seem to change there rules all the time people are still waiting behind each other at the tills because of lack of people at checkouts. Customers are walking in different directions one way system seems to be given up.if you are disabled very difficult to get out of checkouts as to much shields at the end of checkouts not necessarily needed.
More nosey parkers paid for from our taxes . Disgraceful!
The furlough monies being paid to people unable to work because of CV shutdowns come out of our taxes.
If these “nosey parkers” can ensure good practice is taking place, then lockdown can ease and people can go back to work, saving the taxpayers a vast fortune.
Not to mention unnecessary deaths.
Some supermarkets could do with these checks. Some people are not wearing masks and some congregate inside the entrance having a chat. This sloppy behaviour must be contributing to the rise in cases. This is not helping Thanet to recover from CoVid 19.
I may have missed them but don’t recall ever seeing these jobs being advertised? Does anyone else?
Yes.. I saw this on the ‘Indeed’ job site.
Hope the Covid ‘ambassadors’ will ensure staff are wearing proper tested face coverings which are new and clean.
been in a few places where staff are suffering from cold’s, you know coughing – sneezing into their face coverings.
The Covid ‘ambassadors’ could advise any staff feeling “under the weather” to take sick leave.
They should visit the Pizza Shop at Victoria traffic lights. I have never seen any of the staff in there wearing any kind of face covering. I presume they are all exempt.
We have a kebab takeaway near us that stays open to 1.00 am serving customers who walk in to be served. They think they are exempt and need some good advice as they are not helping the rates come down.
This makes me laugh.. there are plenty of non essential shops open for business in Thanet that are not food outlets but no one seems to care!