Archive for category: News

Renfrewshire Council has been awarded match funding from Sustrans’ Paths for All fund for a “Smarter Choices, Smarter Places” project which will investigate the potential for using a smartphone app provided by the organisation BetterPoints Ltd.

The app challenges people to carry out their journeys through sustainable methods of transport, i.e. on foot, by cycling or on public transport, with the aim of reducing the level of carbon emissions created in Renfrewshire. The more green journeys they carry out, the more points they receive and these can be exchanged for discounts at local businesses and other rewards which would be set out at the beginning of the project.

The purpose of the app is to motivate people to make positive changes to their behaviour by travelling more sustainably and to live healthy lives – something which is incredibly important as we continue in the current pandemic.

Background

Renfrewshire Council is pursuing a programme of sustainable transport strategy initiatives in Renfrewshire, including segregated walking and cycling routes, real-time bus passenger information screens, bus priority measures and pedestrian-friendly road junction redesigns to increase the active travel options available to its population.

In light of the council’s declaration of a climate emergency in June 2019, it wants to investigate if the Better Points app would motivate and reward people for travelling more sustainably as this could contribute to its pledge to make Renfrewshire carbon neutral by 2030.

The app would be used by the general public and also by the council’s our staff members as it wants to encourage its teams to stay active and look after their health and wellbeing, particularly when the majority of staff are working from home.

What should you do?

The council’s consultant has created an online survey to see if the Better Points system could work for people in Renfrewshire. The more responses that are received, the more tailored the system would become and the greater the chance of it being a success. Therefore, the council asks that you complete the Better Points survey.

More information about the survey can be found on the Renfrewshire Council website.

The survey will close on Friday 26 February 2021.

If you have any problems in submitting your response, please email ei@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

The first issue of the new Ralston Community Council Newsletter will be delivered to Ralston residents this week. Some of the things you can look forward to are:

• Tales of Local Heroes – who would you like to recognise in the next issue?
• A card you can use to offer help to those who might need it this winter
• Information about our community council, and how you can get involved
• Information about things happening in our community
• A recipe for a delicious festive treat
• A kids’ drawing competition.
• Corny Christmas jokes
• A variety of puzzles
• And much, much more.

Additional copies of the newsletter will be available in the Penilee Road Corner Shop and an electronic version is available on the website.

The Scottish Government has confirmed that, from Friday 20 November at 6pm, Renfrewshire will be in Covid Protection Level 4. These measures will last for three weeks until Friday 11 December.

Essential council services are still operating during the Level 4 restrictions.

The key restrictions are summarised below. Full details can be found at www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-protection-levels/pages/protection-level-4/.

Level 4 restrictions include:

• At this time, you should not host people from any other household in your home or visit people you do not live with in their home, no matter where that is – unless they are in your extended household.
• You can continue to meet in a maximum group of six people from two households outside – although you must follow physical distancing.
• Schools and nurseries remain open, but with additional safety measures in place
• You can travel only for essential reasons and this will become law from Friday 20 November, so please do not travel outside our local authority area for any non-essential reason – and avoid car-sharing and public transport where possible.
• Pubs, restaurants, cafes, close-contact retail such as hairdressers and beauty services, leisure and entertainment premises, and non-essential retail shops are closed in level 4.
• Essential shops, such as supermarkets and pharmacies remain open.

Follow the FACTS advice at all times to keep yourself and others safe.

If you have symptoms of Coronavirus, book a test immediately and self-isolate while you wait for the results.

If you are contacted by Test and Protect, follow their instructions and self-isolate for the period requested.

For full details on the restrictions in Renfrewshire, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/coronavirus.

For further Coronavirus health advice, visit www.nhsinform.scot/coronavirus.

If anyone doesn’t have internet access, they can call Renfrewshire Council on 0300 300 0230 for support.

Renfrewshire’s Community Safety Partnership has advised residents not to have firework displays or bonfires this year.

Its advice is as follows:

As Bonfire Night approaches, we continue to ask all of our communities to follow the restrictions in place for Renfrewshire to protect ourselves and others.

Unfortunately, due to the current restrictions, there will be no organised fireworks display in Renfrewshire this year.

We recognise that people may be tempted to hold their own displays. However, personal displays or bonfires can cause a safety risk if not handled correctly and we would advise that these do not take place this year.

It’s extremely important that we do all we can to keep our communities and fire service safe.

Our Wardens Service will be patrolling known hotspot areas in advance to remove any illegal bonfires being built, as well as working closely with the Scottish Fire and Rescue and Police Scotland on the night of the 5^th to support their crews against any anti-social behaviour that they may encounter.

For more information on fireworks and bonfire safety, visit: www.firescotland.gov.uk/your-safety

During the week Monday 26 October 2020 to Friday 30 October 2020, between 10:00 am and 3:30 pm,  any Renfrewshire resident aged over 65 who has yet to receive a flu vaccination can have the vaccination at the drop-in clinic at St Mirren Flu Centre, Greenhill Road, PA3 1RU.

That week was being held for rescheduled appointments, but the centre has been so well attended that it now has the capacity to welcome residents on a drop-in basis.

People over 65 can attend the drop-in, whether or not they have received a scheduled appointment letter. The last of the appointment letters will be issued by Friday 30 October. Residents who have not yet received a letter can either drop in any day between Monday and Friday or wait for their scheduled appointment in November. If you have received a letter, please bring it with you as this will help the clinic staff find your details on the system more quickly.

November will be reserved for scheduled appointments only.

More details can be found on the Renfrewshire Health & Social Care Partnership website.