DECISION

1.     To note the contents of this report outlining the council’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and plans for the proposed next steps.

Action by:

CHIEF EXECUTIVE (W. TUCKLEY)

(Head of Corporate Strategy and Policy (A. Hoque)

(Corporate Strategy and Policy Manager (C. Matthews)

The Mayor introduced the comprehensive report on the Council’s response to the Covid-19 Pandemic. The report set out details on the Council’s reaction to the situation and showed both the chronology and also looked at some of the biggest issues the Council had dealt with such as around social care and changing work arrangements. He noted the anxiety the pandemic had caused within the community.

The Council had been working hard with its partners to support those who were sick as well as the wider community.

The Chief Executive paid particular tribute to the two members of staff who had been lost to Covid-19. He also thanked everyone who helped ensure there was a strong degree of agility, creativity and effort to best respond to the needs of local people, particularly services for vulnerable people.

During discussion many issues were noted or discussed including:

·       Questions raised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the officer responses provided.

·       Praise was given to all those who had worked so hard to support residents and council services during this time with particular comment on Somen Banerjee (Director of Public Health) for his work with the Council’s Health Partners and Denise Radley (Corporate Director, Health, Adults and Community) for her work on health services but also her work leading on the Council’s emergency planning response.

·       The financial challenges to the Council were noted.

·       A discussion took place on how the Council was supporting specific groups of residents including those who were shielding, rough sleepers and residents from BAME communities.

·       The Council was using a number of methods to regularly communicate with residents about the pandemic and the help that was available.

Officers undertook to provide written responses in relation to the financial costs of the pandemic to the Council and also on the work that had been taking place to learn about the differential impact on a range of groups of residents.

It was noted that the pandemic was not over and the next report would be looking at how the Council would look to tackle future challenges.

The Mayor thanked everyone for their hard work and support and agreed the recommendation as set out.

RESOLVED

1.     To note the contents of this report outlining the council’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and plans for the proposed next steps.

The Committee will receive a presentation on the response to Covid 19.