Councillor Stephen Cooksey, Leader of Mole Valley District Council (MVDC), said: ‘Temperatures look to build later this week and early next week for much of England and Wales. The Met Office has issued the Amber warning from Sunday (17 July) until Tuesday (19 July). Please keep yourself hydrated and find shade where possible when UV rays are strongest, between 11am and 3pm. If you have vulnerable family, friends and neighbours, make sure they are aware of how they can keep themselves protected from the warm weather.
‘It’s been a number of months since the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, and we are all enjoying some normality after a challenging two years which impacted all levels of life. But, unfortunately, Covid hasn’t gone away and in recent weeks there has been an increase in infections in the South East England.
In fact, in recent weeks we have seen a rise in cases in the south east with a shift in the dominant strain from the Omicron BA.2 variant. The latest data indicates that Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 now account for more than half of rising Covid-19 cases in the UK and are driving the recent increase in infections.
The good news is, that so far the rise in cases has not led to an increase in hospital admissions or deaths and this is down to the efficacy of the vaccine and the incredible efforts of people across the country getting vaccinated. If you want to reduce your risk of infection don’t forget that good ventilation, hand washing and wearing a face covering, particularly in crowded spaces, all help reduce the risk of transmission.
‘MVDC teams have been working hard to ensure that entitled residents will receive the £150 payment for the energy rebate. The total paid out so far is £2,130,900. We are now focused on putting arrangements in place to ensure that the council tax accounts of those residents who don’t pay by direct debit and did not apply for a direct payment can be credited as soon as possible.
‘This Friday and Saturday, Dorking Halls will be entertaining you in Meadow Bank Park with Plays In the Park. 18+ ‘Comedy Club’ and one of Shakespeare’s favourite comedies – ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ – with a Scoot ‘spin’ this time – are sure to make you laugh. Our younger audience will be able to enjoy ‘The Wind in the Willows’ filled with motorcar madness. If you haven’t booked your tickets, there is still time.
‘Finally, I wanted to mention, that we recently completed the works to the footpath in Dorking Cemetery, leading to the Memorial Garden. The Memorial Wall and Garden are the place of reflection, where families are able to scatter their loved ones’ ashes and place a brass memorial plaque on the wall. You can find more information on Dorking Cemetery web page.’