Key Workers in Penarth and the Vale will still be allowed to send their children to school and those who are entitled to free meals will also be able to collect them daily.

A statement from Cllr Neil Moore, Leader of the Vale of Glamorgan council: ''Following my message earlier in the week, I wanted to bring you up to date with what the Council has been doing in response to the Coronavirus outbreak.

''Clearly, this is a testing period for everyone and one that has presented the Authority with exceptional challenges as we bid to deliver key services in extremely difficult circumstances.

''In the face of that adversity, our dedicated staff are doing their utmost to maintain the most vital services on which residents rely.

''These efforts are concentrating on our responsibility to the most vulnerable members of our communities. We have taken significant steps to protect these people.

''We have today provided guidance to all schools in the Vale of Glamorgan on how to operate from Monday 23 March.

''In the absence of any information from Welsh Government on how they define key workers, we have advised schools to follow the UK Government advice.

''All schools in the Vale are today working hard to put arrangements in place to allow the children of key workers, those that are vulnerable and those that currently qualify for free school meals to attend on Monday.

''Our schools will be under significant pressure to provide a safe place for the children of key workers so that their parents can work to keep us all safe.

''Please do not send your children to school unless you really need to. Any child eligible for free school meals that are not attending school will be able to collect a free meal during the course of the day, by arrangement with the school.

''Letters have been sent to residential care service users, their families and a host of others for which we have a social care responsibility reassuring them that their service needs are being prioritised.

''The Council's Corporate Management team is working around the clock with our staff to take actions which will ensure provision in such crucial areas continues despite other pressures.

''Further services that have also been deemed critical and will receive similar prioritisation include: Sheltered Housing, Complex Needs assessments, Child Protection and work to tackle homelessness.

''We are in the process of allocating additional resources to high priority services by training and redeploying staff from other areas of the organisation and have been heartened by the offers of help from business and our community.

''Elsewhere, in order to continue collecting recycling, food and black bag waste as normal, we are temporarily suspending the collection of green waste. We encourage residents to continue to recycle as much as possible but will allow up to four black bags per household each fortnight.

''We are also suspending any action in relation to the non-payment of Council Tax and waving the normal £60 charge for the installation of telecare, a 24-hour alarm and monitoring service for the elderly and vulnerable.

''Work is underway to offer up to date advice and support for businesses, while we are providing regular updates on matters relating to Coronavirus on our website and through social media channels.

''I would ask for your understanding at this difficult time and to please access services online wherever possible.

''Our staff are doing all they can to keep services running in as normal a way as possible during this unprecedented situation.

''I know they will do their very best to provide the support Vale of Glamorgan residents require.''

The UK government has listed the following as Key Workers:

• Frontline health workers such as doctors and nurses

• Some teachers and social workers

• Workers in key public services including those essential to the justice system, religious staff and public service journalists

• Local and national government workers deemed crucial to delivering essential public services

• Workers involved in food production processing, distribution, sale and delivery

• Public safety workers including police, armed forces personnel, firefighters and prison staff

• Essential air, water, road and rail transport workers

• Utilities, communication and financial services staff, including postal workers and waste disposal workers