Here's the latest Argus column by Monmouthshire County Council leader Cllr Peter Fox:

I'D LIKE to express my very grateful thanks to all who have stayed at home in recent weeks, observed social distancing and remained safe.

Together we can defeat coronavirus but it will take a concerted effort.

Fighting the pandemic has inevitably affected the way the council operates and last week the council’s cabinet members met remotely to consider how we can most effectively deliver our aims while the outbreak persists. We agreed a strategy which will make the most of technology and emphasise the protection of life as well as back the county’s communities to be sustainable and resilient.

MORE NEWS:

Among those things we pledge are support for those who need it and the provision of vital social care services, including child protection, care at home and residential care. We will participate in COVID contact tracing as well as providing access to emergency food parcels for shielded people who cannot leave home - we’ve already made calls to over 1,300 shielded people to check on their well-being.

We will also coordinate community volunteering and support local food banks.

The council will continue to host key workers’ children in hub schools while the county’s other pupils will be educated at home, with weight placed on all receiving adequate access to digital technology.

In addition, we recognise that the £17 million of Welsh Government’s Covid-19 grants to businesses we’ve processed so far are vital to the local economy and we will do all we can to ensure prompt payment continues.

Our domestic waste and recycling collections will continue to be prioritised with the number of vehicles increased and resources diverted from other services.

Other measures are in place and these can be found on our website’s coronavirus pages - www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/services/planning-for-emergencies/coronavirus/

Finally, my heartfelt thanks go to the council’s staff, the county’s volunteers and our wonderful key workers in the NHS and emergency services as well as retail and delivery services as we tackle unchartered territory. With your help and cooperation we can succeed.

- Meanwhile, our foster care team is looking for committed and caring people to offer a home to children and young people within the county – now is the perfect time to consider being a foster carer.

For further details text 'Foster' to 60060, visit Monmouthshire.gov.uk/fostering, email foster@monmouthshire.gov.uk or telephone 01873 735950 – foster parents will receive great support from the council.