COVID-19 has had a significant and disproportionate impact on Bradford District. Council resources have been key to managing the response and planning for recovery but are insufficient to meet the direct financial impacts.

The Chief Executive will submit a report (Document “CL”) which examines the impact and outlook in key areas of activity. Persistent uncertainty around infection rates, restrictions and the socio-economic effect hinder effective planning and resourcing. Brexit and the annual winter flu will place a further burden on resources and another emergency event would stretch them beyond breaking point. Additional Government support is needed to manage complex scenarios and demands, avoid system failure, protect the NHS, keep services running and plan for recovery. Looking further ahead, the Council needs certainty in funding arrangements and support to invest in education, skills and infrastructure in order to achieve public service reform with improved outcomes and a more inclusive and sustainable District as we recovery from COVID-19. These requirements form the basis of a series of recommendations to Government.

Recommended –

That the Executive:

(1)       Notes the range and scale of activity undertaken to date by Council services. working with partners to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic the outstanding nature of that collective effort and  puts on record its thanks to everyone involved for their on-going  work in supporting the communities and businesses of the District during a time of unprecedented difficulty and uncertainty.

(2)       Notes the key areas of focus for the Council over the winter months and the pressures on services and resources and requires all services to develop business continuity and contingency plans.

(3)       Notes that Council capacity and resources are stretched to the limit and that the need to respond to any further emergency would inevitably reduce the resources available to minimise and prevent infection deliver key services, support our communities and economy and plan for the future.

(4)       Agrees the recommendations to Government set out at section 7 to Document “CL”, endorses them as the basis on which to negotiate and position Bradford District with Government as a key partner in preventing and minimising the spread of infection, staying resilient over Winter, maintaining vital services, levelling up the national economy and securing public sector reform.

(5)       Requests the Chief Executive to ensure that Government is made aware of the Council’s position and seek a meeting with Ministers to discuss how we work more effectively together through the pandemic and in building a better future.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee: Corporate

(Nigel Smith - 01274 434635)

COVID-19 has had a significant and disproportionate impact on the Bradford district. Council resources have been key to managing the response and planning for recovery but are insufficient to meet the direct financial impacts.

The Chief Executive submitted a report (Document “CL”) which examined the impact and outlook in key areas of activity. Persistent uncertainty around infection rates, restrictions and the socio-economic effect hinder effective planning and resourcing. Brexit and the annual winter flu will place a further burden on resources and another emergency event would stretch them beyond breaking point.  Additional Government support is needed to manage complex scenarios and demands, avoid system failure, protect the NHS, keep services running and plan for recovery. Looking further ahead, the Council needs certainty in funding arrangements and support to invest in education, skills and infrastructure in order to achieve public service reform with improved outcomes and a more inclusive and sustainable district as we recover from COVID-19. These requirements form the basis of a series of recommendations to Government.

The Leader stated that we were currently living through a national emergency, with the recent lockdown measures now in place and with the rise in infection rates and hospital admissions and the consequent sad loss of life, it was imperative that people stayed at home and followed the guidance.

The Chief Executive acknowledged and echoed the sentiments expressed by the Leader and stated that this report set out the issues and concerns in detail. To this end a collaborative approach with Government was imperative to deal with the pandemic and its impacts.  The sterling work to reduce infection rates in the district had been acknowledged by the Chief Medical Officer for England, however more needed to be done and this work would continue, particularly as we head into the winter months and beyond.  In the context of the lockdown further work was now planned for those that were shielding and how we can support the most vulnerable, as well as the support we can offer businesses during this period.

To this end it was important to continue to lobby the Government on ensuring the effectiveness of the track and trace system, the support we can offer to those who were self isolating and generally on the sustainable funding of vital services going forward.

The Opposition Group Leader was present at the meeting and stated she fully supported all the work that was on going to deal with the pandemic , however she questioned what discussions had taken place to ensure people self isolated once they had tested positive and that there was compliance in this area, or where businesses were flouting the rules what enforcement action had been taken.  She also questioned why Full Council had failed to meet, where these and other matters could be openly discussed and what discussions had taken place to change this situation.

In response the Leader stated that self isolation and compliance  was a national issue and it was important that financial and other support was in place for this cohort; in relation to businesses, information on enforcement would be provided outside of this meeting.  Finally in relation to Council meetings a meeting of Full Council was scheduled for December, however the Executive had discussed all the important issues pertaining to the pandemic from the outset, whilst encouraging Members across the political spectrum to participate in those meetings.

In relation to a question on Business Grants/support it was stated that the Council was awaiting the details of the latest scheme from Governments, and that officers in the revenues team would then roll this out as they had done so efficiently during the first lockdown.

The Leader stressed the need to ensure financial support was in place for those on low pay, adding that the Council was working had with its partner to ensure that a viable economic recovery plan was in place going forward.

Resolved –

(1)       That the range and scale of activity undertaken to date by Council services, working with partners to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the outstanding nature of that collective effort be noted, and that the Executive puts on record its thanks to everyone involved for their on-going  work in supporting the communities and businesses of the district during a time of unprecedented difficulty and uncertainty.

(2)       That the key areas of focus for the Council over the winter months and the pressures on services and resources be noted, and requires all services to develop business continuity and contingency plans.

(3)       That it be noted that Council capacity and resources are stretched to the limit and that the need to respond to any further emergency would inevitably reduce the resources available to minimise and prevent infection deliver key services, support our communities and economy and plan for the future.

(4)       That the recommendations to Government set out at section 7 to Document “CL” be agreed, endorses them as the basis on which to negotiate and position Bradford District with Government as a key partner in preventing and minimising the spread of infection, staying resilient over Winter, maintaining vital services, levelling up the national economy and securing public sector reform.

(5)       That the Chief Executive be requested to ensure that Government is made aware of the Council’s position and seek a meeting with Ministers to discuss how we work more effectively together through the pandemic and in building a better future.

ACTION: Chief Executive

Overview and Scrutiny Committee: Corporate

(Nigel Smith - 01274 434635)