Derry and Strabane pitches to close from 6 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions

This will include all artificial pitches and MUGAs in the Derry and Strabane area.

Community centres remain closed apart for those that are providing an essential service in line with government guidelines.

Births, still-births, deaths and marriage and civil partnership registration

The Council's Registration of Births, Still-births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnership service in both Derry and Strabane is continuing to operate and following new Government legislation is continuing to provide remote death registration without the attendance of an informant at the Registrar's Office.

The Registrar's Office in Derry and Strabane are both open and are operational by appointment only to register births and for couples to collect their Marriage Schedules.

Anyone with any queries please telephone 02871 253253 or 02871 376520 or email – for Birth Registration, please email [email protected] , for Death Registration please email [email protected], or for Marriage or Civil Partnership or a general enquiry please email [email protected].

To view all the details relating to the changes to services and to access the relevant online forms please visit www.derrystrabane.com/district-registration

Environmental Health Services

Environmental Health staff are engaging proactively with local businesses to provide advice and support and to ensure compliance.

Officers are continuing to carry out inspections of businesses on a limited basis following the completion of Covid 19 Risk Assessments and Safe Systems of Work procedures .

All inspections will be considered on an individual basis and carried out when it is safe to do so. Staff for each service area can be contacted via the main office at 028 71 253253 or via the website at https://www.derrystrabane.com/Subsites/Health-Community-Wellbeing

Health and Safety at Work

Members of the public and employees seeking advice and information regarding coronavirus/covid-19 and health and safety at work requirements can contact the Council’s Health and Safety and Consumer Protection Scheme to find out how Council can assist them in ensuring workplaces are safe. For more information visit – www.derrystrabane.com/subsites/Environmental-Health/Health-Safety-and-Consumer-Protection-Team/Health-Safety-at-Work

All sectors needs to consider the relevant guidance and risk assess their work activities to ensure risks associated with the potential spread of coronavirus are suitably and sufficiently addressed and all statutory health and safety obligations are met.

The HSENI have developed an example COVID-19 risk assessment that shows you the kind of approach that a small business needs to take when carrying out a risk assessment for COVID-19 in the workplace – https://hseni.gov.uk/news/example-risk-assessment-covid-19-workplaces.

Further information and assistance can also be obtained by contacting the main office at 028 71 253253 or by emailing the Health and Safety and Consumer Protection team at [email protected]

A variety of useful information, advice and guidance is also available on the Council website at – https://derrystrabane.com/Subsites/Health-Community-Wellbeing/Covid-19.

Dog Control Services – Animal Welfare Services

The Council Dog Shelter at Pennyburn Industrial Estate, Derry opening times remain as normal: Mon – Fri: 10.00am – 11.00am & 3.30pm – 4.30pm, Saturday: 11.00am-12.00pm.

To prevent an unnecessary journey please contact the Dog Wardens at 02871 253253 to determine if there are any dogs in the dog shelter. Dog Wardens will not be at the dog shelter during the listed opening times if there are no dogs present as they will be carrying out other enforcement and education duties.

Please note that Council no longer accepts unwanted dogs. If you wish to rehome your dog we recommend that you contact one of our two local animal rehoming charities: Pet FBI (Tel: 07512 280760) or Rainbow Rehoming Centre for Rescue Cats and Dogs (Tel: 028 71 812882).