Keswick Town Council’s monthly meeting has been brought forward a week to allow a decision to take place about whether people should be asked to wear face masks in local shopping areas once most businesses are allowed to re-open on Monday 15th June.
The council’s June meeting had been due to be held online three days after that date but in an unprecedented step it will now go ahead a week earlier than scheduled. The rearranged meeting on Thursday 11th June at 7.30pm will still take place virtually as in April and May, with councillors, council officers, members of the public and press communicating via Zoom.
The switch comes after Cole Kelly, of Main Street, spoke to councillors at last month’s meeting about her campaign called About Face which she says could help stop the spread of coronavirus. The Facebook campaign calls for all residents, visitors and workers to wear face coverings in shops and outdoor spaces in the town’s shopping district.
However, the item was not on the agenda as a formal proposal last month, so the council could not take any decisive action. Keswick mayor Cllr Paul Titley has now put forward a proposal stating: “‘That the town council supports the Covid-19 About Face Campaign ‘Protect Yourself by Protecting Others’ and encourages all visitors and residents to wear face masks in the shops and town centre of Keswick.”
Town clerk Lynda Walker explained: “The mayor asked for the meeting to be brought forward as he wanted to discuss the wearing of face coverings before the shops are able to re-open next week.” She added: “Athough town council meetings are only able to take place remotely at the moment, they are in all other respects normal meetings with the public able to participate. Anyone who wishes to do so can obtain the Zoom details by emailing me at [email protected]
