SOMERSET County Council will be taking a number of steps to keep services running while minimising the spread of the virus.

This means, from tomorrow (March 19), most council buildings will be closed, public meetings and events will be postponed or moved online, and office-based staff will be working from home.

Libraries will be closing and other areas, like registration services, will be by appointment only.

Other frontline services, like adults and children’s social care, highways maintenance and our Somerset Direct Contact Centre, will support the public as normal.

The public drop-in meeting regarding the Creech Castle works in Taunton, planned for today (March 18), has also been cancelled.

Pat Flaherty, chief executive, said: “This is a fast-moving situation but we have well rehearsed plans and are fully prepared to continue delivering vital services – albeit sometimes in a different way.

“We will, of course, continue to look after the vulnerable and this will be our priority as the situation develops."