Please note that PR are releasing a social media post up detailing community initiatives that we are aware of to help with the cost of living / accommodation whilst HQ is closed. Please see guidance document below.

Warm Winter Hubs 2022-23

Details taken from Social media post on 06/12/2022 following a customer enquiry originally reported to Seniors this morning 16/12/2022:

This Christmas, holiday support will be provided to families receiving free school meals on the basis of low income. This is in addition to the final £260 bridging payment.

- Both payments (holiday and bridging) will be made directly into bank accounts on Tuesday 20 December.

- Children receiving free school meals due to universal access for P1-5 are not eligible for these payments.

- If your child currently attends primary school you will receive £25.30 per child, which is 11 days at £2.30 per week day.

- If your child currently attends secondary school you will receive £26.40 per child, which is 11 days at £2.40 per week day.

- If you've changed your bank details since you received the last support payment please contact revenues@moray.gov.uk.

- If your financial circumstances have changed recently this could make your child eligible for free school meals. Find out if you are eligible and how to apply at: http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_55486.html

- If you have not already done so you can apply for the Scottish Child Payment at: https://www.mygov.scot/scottish-child-payment

https://newsroom.moray.gov.uk/news/bird-flu-confirmed-in-forres using Chrome this link takes you to the article re-a confirmed case of bird flu in Forres shared on MC’s social media accounts & news page.

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Moray Council this link takes you to the MC’s website which specifically relates to Avian Influenza aka bird flu (found using the A-Z under A for Avian Influenza).

Please contact the Seniors in the first instance if additional support is needed.

I’d like to take the opportunity to thank Advisors and Seniors for your recent responses re-preferred working styles which can be seen below:

Hybrid:

Andrea, Carol, Emma, Julie, Karla, Katie, Lynne F, Lynne R, Shirley S

Home:

Anne, Carroll-Ann, Ros, Sarah, Sharon, Shirley A, Tricia

Office:

Beth, Dawn, Dottie, Ross, Eryn (January 09/01/23 new start)

It’s clear to see that staff are keen to look at different working styles and although guidance for managers in terms of how we manage hybrid working is still to be received, as a service we are keen to look at what we can do to start the ball rolling.

As a result, those of you who have expressed an interest in home/hybrid working will soon be issued with an Email asking you to complete a “DSE Self-Analysis Checklist” for your home working area so please keep a look out for this Email as it will contain the date you need to complete and return by.

In terms of keeping you updated, I will be looking to issue a further update re-home/hybrid working no later than 17:00 on 20/01/2023. If anyone has any questions, concerns or wish to change your preference before then, please do not hesitate to drop me an Email directly.

Kindest Regards, Donna

Following an enquiry from Burghead Community Hall re-possible funding from MC to help with energy bills for creating a warm space. There is currently no funding available from MC for this, however, I have found and provided them with this link to the Scottish Governments Energy Bill Relief Scheme for non domestic customers.

I am working to see if this link can be added to the Cost of Living Support HUB but thought it would be helpful to have on our news pages in the meantime, Donna.

UPDATE: A link to this post is now available on the Cost of Living Support HUB within the “Business Support” tab Cost of Living Hub - Moray Council.

These pages (Cost of Living Hub - Moray Council) are being kept up to date as soon as information is received. Customers looking for information not available here should be advised to keep a regular check in the first instance. Information is also available on community group social media accounts so customers can also be directed to these which MC do not have links for. If you have anything unusual, please contact the Seniors in the 1st instance, thank you, Donna

Please note that we are aware of an ongoing issue with Avaya softphone and Lagan logging CSAs out of the system today. This is being investigated by ICT and we will provide an update as soon as we have more information.

Update: ICT have advised that this is a Council wide issue with Avaya phones. In the meantime, if on call and get cut off, when logging back on may look like it's still stuck in box, if once back into phone can go 'Ready' that will clear the call.

Update 14/12/2022: Please note that these issues are continuing but BT are planning to look at it today. When taking calls today please inform customers that we are experiencing technical issues with the phonelines, make sure you confirm their contact number at the beginning and advise them that if the call drops then you will call them back straight away.

Any questions, please pass via your Senior in the first instance.

MyAccount will be unavailable to all users on Thursday 22nd December between 10am and 12pm. This will also affect other platforms which use myaccount for authentication (Council websites, service provider websites, getyournec.scot, parentsportal.scot and Data Hub).

Any questions, please pass via your Senior in the first instance.

Please note that the Capita income management system (Pay360) will be unavailable Monday Morning (12/12/2022) for essential maintenance, we will be unable to take any card payments over the phone during this time. Online and Automated payments are not affected. Please ask any customers who call to make a payment to either make payment using our online/automated services.

Update: Please be advised the system is now back up and running as normal.

If you have any questions, please pass via your Senior in the first instance.

I (Donna) have agreed with Members Support that gifts can be handed into Reception from members of the these groups. On receipt of gifts, staff at reception are to pass these to a member of staff at facilities who will arrange for items to be stored and delivered to Mandy.

Any questions, please pass via your Senior in the first instance.

When customers call into the GCAH line the only call backs we do are when the customer is calling about a self-isolation grant once they have had a positive PCR test.

If customers are looking to order a PCR test or have any other questions the should be advised to go online on the NHS Inform website where they will be able to order a test and get further information.

Any questions, please pass via your senior in the first instance.

Please be aware that the security certificate for ‘online.moray.gov.uk’ is scheduled to be renewed by ICT today at 14:00. The work should take no more than 15-20 minutes and, until it is complete, there will be no login to MyAccount. A notice has been issued on the front page of the portal to make customers aware.

Any questions, please pass via your Senior in the first instance.