Here is the latest update from Cardiff Council, covering: responding to Storm Eunice; a budget to tackle ‘cost of living crisis' revealed; COVID-19 cases reported in Cardiff's schools in the last seven days; vaccination totals for Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan; and Cardiff's case and test numbers.

Responding to Storm Eunice

The Met Office Red Warning for high winds brought by storm Eunice was lifted at midday today, however an Amber Warning will remain in place until 9pm tonight.

The council's emergency management procedures were put into action yesterday and today, in order to help keep the public and the workforce safe, and to try to keep the disruption caused by Storm Eunice to a minimum.

A number of reports were made to the council of fallen trees and damage to buildings. Council crews are fully mobilised and have responded to incidents throughout the day. The clean-up work continues.

Frontline workers were out there providing help and support to vulnerable residents, making sure these vital services continued. Llanishen and Eastern leisure centres are acting as ‘touchdown points' for the Council's mobile workforce to use during the course of the day and into this evening.

Although the Amber Warning is expected to be lifted tonight, the forecast for the weekend is for further unsettled weather, with heavy rains showers and fresh breezes predicted. The Cycle Ready For Spring event that was due to take place at Victoria Park tomorrow has been postponed, and an alternative date is being finalised. The events at the STAR Hub on Saturday, 26^thFebruary, and Cardiff Castle on Saturday, 5^thMarch 5^th, are both still scheduled to take place.

For regular updates, follow Cardiff Council on social media, visit  www.cardiffnewsroom.co.uk  and  www.cardiff.gov.uk.

A budget to tackle ‘cost of living crisis' revealed

A budget designed to create new jobs, build new council homes, and improve opportunities for children and young people, while protecting the least well off as the ‘cost-of-living crisis' takes hold, has been revealed by Cardiff Council.

Cardiff Council's Cabinet is bringing forward proposals that could see millions spent helping those most in need as the city looks to leave the worst effects of the COVID-19 pandemic behind it.

The proposals are part of the 2022/23 budget report which will go to Cabinet for approval on Thursday, February 24. If agreed, Full Council will vote on the budget proposals at its next meeting on March 3.

If Council passes the Budget proposals, Cardiff's schools would receive an extra £9.3m; adults and children's services an extra £23.9m; and youth services and spending on young people an extra £2.4m. Council Tax would be set well below inflation at 1.9% - which is just 48p a week for a Band D household - down from last year's 3.5% increase.     

Cardiff Council Leader, Cllr Huw Thomas, said: "Last year this council set one of the most important budgets I felt it would ever set. COVID-19 had affected each-and-every one of us and I said then that it would affect our futures for many years to come. After almost two years of combatting the virus there now seems to be a clear way forward, a path to a more normal life. With that in mind, we are looking to the future, preparing our city for better times ahead. But nobody can deny that while we may have turned the corner on the pandemic, we are now facing a cost of living crisis. Every day I meet people who are struggling to make ends meet, rising food, fuel, clothing and energy bills are seeing people left to struggle, dependent on key public services and handouts."

Read more here:

https://www.cardiffnewsroom.co.uk/releases/c25/28546.html

COVID-19 Cases reported in Cardiff's schools in the last 7 days (11/02/22 to 17/02/22)

Total number reported = 313

• Pupils and students = 267
• Staff, including teaching staff = 46

Based on latest figures, there are just under 56,000 pupils and students enrolled at Cardiff's schools in total.

The total number of Cardiff schools staff, not including casual staff, is just over 7,300.

Cardiff & Vale University Health Board Vaccination Status Update - 15 February

Data provided by CAVUHB

Based on the figures available at the time of publication.

Please note that there may be minor amendments to data as it is validated over time.

The total number of vaccination doses given by the Cardiff & Vale University Health Board so far, in both local authority areas:  1,073,718 (1^stDose: 401,143 2^ndDose: 374,822 3^rdDose: 8,072 Boosters: 289,579)

Cohort Data - Last updated: 14 February 2022

• 80 and over: 22,207 / 95% (1^stDose) 22,050 / 94.3% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 20,490 / 92.9% (Booster)
• 75-79: 16,775 / 96.6% (1^stDose) 16,661 / 95.9% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 15,449 / 92.7% (Booster)
• 70-74: 21,152 / 95.9% (1^stDose) 21,022 / 95.3% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 19,582 / 93.2% (Booster)
• 65-69: 22,732 / 94.2% (1^stDose) 22,499 / 93.2% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 20,739 / 92.2% (Booster)
• 60-64: 27,023 / 92.2% (1^stDose) 26,666 / 91% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 24,340 / 91.3% (Booster)
• 55-59: 29,701 / 90.2% (1^stDose) 29,237 / 88.8% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 26,385 / 90.2% (Booster)
• 50-54: 29,055 / 87.9% (1^stDose) 28,451 / 86.1% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 25,104 / 88.2% (Booster)
• 40-49: 56,590 / 81.9% (1^stDose) 54,826 / 79.3% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 45,656 / 83.3% (Booster)
• 30-39: 63,313 / 77.1% (1^stDose) 59,732 / 72.8% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 43,328 / 72.5% (Booster)
• 18-29: 83,564 / 79.3% (1^stDose) 75,391 / 71.6% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 46,872 / 62.2% (Booster)
• 16-17: 4,033 / 71.1% (1^stDose) 2,987 / 52.7% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 55 / 1.8% (Booster)
• 13-15: 13,912 / 57.1% (1^stDose) 8,380 / 34.4% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose)

• Severely Immuno-suppressed: 6,947 / 98.1% (1^stDose) 6,238 / 88.1% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 18 / 0.3% (Booster)
• Care home residents: 1,987 / 98.6% (1^stDose) 1,971 / 97.8% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 1,822 / 92.4% (Booster)
• Care Home Workers: 3,698 / 99% (1^stDose) 3,644 / 97.6% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 2,905 / 79.7% (Booster)
• Healthcare Workers: 27,198 / 98.2% (1^stDose) 26,934 / 97.2% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 24,269 / 90.1% (Booster)
• Social Care Workers**: 8,162 / 82.2% (Booster)
• Clinically extremely vulnerable: 10,780 / 94.7% (1^stDose) 10,621 / 93.3% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 6,105 / 57.5% (Booster)
• Underlying Health Conditions: 46,322 / 90.8% (1^stDose) 45,009 / 88.2% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 38,261 / 85% (Booster)
• Underlying Health Conditions (12-15): 657 / 63.4% (1^stDose) 470 / 45.4% (2^nd& 3^rd*Dose) 44 / 9.4% (Booster)
• Underlying Health Conditions (5-11): 481 / 37.5% (1^stDose)

*Those who have received two COVID-19 vaccine doses, with the exception of those who are severely immunosuppressed who are recommended three doses

**Data taken from an alternative source

Cardiff Cases and Tests - 7 Days Data (07 February - 13 February 2022)

Based on latest figures from Public Health Wales

Data correct as of:

17 February 2022

Cases: 1,342

Cases per 100,000 population: 365.8 (Wales: 290.9 cases per 100,000 population)

Testing episodes: 4,364

Testing per 100,000 population: 1,189.4

Positive proportion: 30.8% (Wales: 27.1% positive proportion)