It’s been a busy weekend for all of the teams working to clear debris and make roads and pathways safe from fallen and hanging branches and unstable structures. New assessments are also having to be made following the high winds yesterday, so we ask that everyone continues to be patient with us and all of the organisations working to restore services and facilities.
The Isles of Scilly Fire and Rescue service has confirmed they are comfortable that they can now access anywhere on St Mary’s in the event of an emergency. However, this is reliant on the community keeping the roads as clear as possible and not parking in places which could restrict the flow of emergency vehicles around the island.
Our Operational Services team and all of the many organisations and individuals supporting them have been working flat out to remove debris from the streets on St Mary’s, but this is obviously a substantial and time-consuming task. We ask that drivers avoid parking in areas where clean-up or repair tasks are either needed or ongoing, to ensure that access is maintained for workers and machinery. All waste collections are expected to go ahead as scheduled, although there may be a slight delay in some cases.
We can confirm that the dump path will remain closed for the time being as there is a tree which needs further assessment. We will update on this when we can. Five Islands Academy has been informed. Please continue to monitor the school Facebook page and emails closely for the latest updates from them.
As many organisations and members of the community have already observed – the risk from debris and unstable trees and structures is still very much present, even in moments of calm, so please take additional care to look for and avoid hazards when out and about. Please also ensure children understand the potential dangers if outside unsupervised during what is likely to be a lengthy clear-up operation. Please continue to call 999 if you think anyone is in immediate danger and report less immediate damage or concerns to the Council by emailing environment@scilly.gov.uk or calling 01720 424450.
We are so grateful for the way everyone has supported each other in the past few days, particularly on the off-islands where it can feel even more isolated during storm events. As we try to get back to normal across the islands, we’re aware that it can be difficult to know when and how to ask for additional support. We believe that between Adult Social Care and health services, everyone who was in immediate need has already been contacted – however, if you have any concerns about a potentially vulnerable member of the community, please don’t hesitate to call the Adult Social Care team by calling 0300 1234 105 selecting the relevant option. If your concerns relate to a child, please call the same number and select the option for Children’s Services.
If you need to report a repair required to a property owned or maintained by the Council, please email housing@scilly.gov.uk, or premises@scilly.gov.uk if it is a corporate property.
If anyone is at all unsure who to contact about an issue relating to a Council service, please email enquiries@scilly.gov.uk or call 03001234 105 and select the option to speak to a member of our customer services team, who will be able to advise.
Thank you all for all of your continuing efforts.