Bromley Council has formed a new specialist group to co-ordinate information and guidance on the Coronavirus outbreak, the authority has confirmed.

In a statement on St Patrick’s Day, the council said a new internal body had been formed to manage advice from the Government and the NHS regarding the virus, with the council saying it is “paying heightened attention to the evolving situation”.

It’s part of a raft of changes the body has introduced as it works to react to continually evolving news surrounding the virus, with a host of council meetings set to be held over the next week cancelled.

While meetings of the authority’s health and well-being board and environment and development committees have been suspended this week, a major development control committee meeting is still scheduled to go ahead on Wednesday evening.

It comes as authorities across the country scrabble to react to the constantly-changing conditions related to the virus outbreak.

Bromley Council also announced on Tuesday it would co-ordinate efforts from residents who wanted to volunteer to help in the coming days and weeks.

To volunteer, visit: https://www.bromley.gov.uk/VolunteerApplicationForm

“If we get this right and all work together for the greater good, we can and will emerge from this crisis as an even stronger, more cohesive and better borough to live in than when we entered it, and that ambition really ought to now be driving us all,” Councillor Diane Smith, Executive Councillor for Adult Services and Public Health said.

 Across the borough, ‘mutual aid’ Facebook groups have been set up as volunteers from across the area look to help other more vulnerable residents.

Facebook groups set up by residents across the borough to help co-ordinate efforts include ‘Covid-19 Mutual Aid Beckenham’ and ‘Covid-19 Mutual Aid Bromley’.