In March 2020 we issued a guidance note on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) and Environmental Body (EB) obligations. This guidance was published on our website and sent by email to the main contact of all EBs. This guidance was reviewed and updated three times during 2020, and in January and June of 2021.
We have now further updated this guidance and the updated guidance note is published on the right hand side of this page, and also on the COVID-19 page of our website. The COVID-19 page sets out a timeline of all ENTRUST advice, guidance and information which has been published and you can also review the previous guidance notes on this page. All updates relating to COVID-19 will be added to the page, as well as published as a news item on our website, and where relevant, emailed to main contacts.
The main update for this version is within section 2.2 where:
"We note in some cases that a project's costs may have increased due to pressures linked to the pandemic and a project's funder may have agreed to fund the increases. Any changes to an approved project's costs can also be emailed to helpline@entrust.org.uk and we will make the change for you."
Furthermore, in line with current Government guidance, ENTRUST staff have returned to working from home. Staff can be contacted as normal on their direct dial extension numbers and by email. The ENTRUST Helpline services (01926 488 300 and helpline@entrust.org.uk) continue to operate as normal. We will publish details of ENTRUST's Christmas closure shortly. In August 2021 we informed EBs that we have recommenced face to face compliance inspection visits to EBs. Again, following Government guidance we have now suspended all physical visits and we will continue to undertake our compliance programme through a mix of telephone, email and video conferencing. If you have an inspection scheduled, the Compliance Inspector will be in touch with you to discuss any arrangements.
We will keep all guidance and working patterns under review, in line with the Government advice. If EBs have any further questions which are not addressed in the current guidance note they should email Helpline@entrust.org.uk