Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were made.

RESOLVED

that the minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 2 February 2021, be

received and approved as a correct record.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and gave a brief synopsis of the work the Panel had undertaken thus far in relation to the Council’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.  He reiterated that there was still a long recovery road ahead for everyone and the Panel’s role was now to listen, learn and provide ideas, suggestions and recovery initiatives to Cabinet for consideration.

It was noted by all present at the meeting that the name of the Panel had been changed slightly to reflect the new priority of ‘recovery’ as opposed to the initial ‘response’ phase in the early days of the pandemic.

Part of the report presented to Members included some excellent data and service updates which had been received in respect of the following:

Collection Rates and Grant Payment Information

Environmental Health and Commercial and Environmental Protection

Neighbourhoods and Environment

Cemeteries

Parks and Open Spaces

Town Centres and Markets

Governance.

The Chairman wanted to place on record and personally thank all officers who had worked so tirelessly through the pandemic; Ashfield District Council had been exemplary in its response to the pandemic and went above and beyond to protect and support its residents and business communities through the lockdown periods.

Panel Members were also requested to note the Covid-19 guidance and restrictions update, as included in the report, and the ongoing efforts to roll out the vaccine programme which was at the heart of the nation’s recovery.  It was acknowledged that Covid-19 was something that people would have to ultimately learn to live with and Step Four of the Government’s Roadmap was asking for everyone to continue to act carefully and remain cautious.

The Scrutiny Research Officer expanded on the Covid-19 guidance and restrictions update and reiterated that Covid-19 was something that people would have to ultimately learn to live with for the foreseeable future.

Businesses were now re-opening and being encouraged by local authorities to follow the principles set out in the working safely guidance.  It was hoped that footfall in Ashfield’s town centres would now pick up and the Council was promoting many initiatives to welcome people back and increase confidence within local communities to use the facilities.

Finance Team

In relation to the service updates, the Finance Team had submitted data regarding collection rates, business rate reliefs, business grants, council tax hardship payments and Test & Trace applications and payments.  The Council had been very successful in administering the range of grants and had continually supported the business community through the pandemic.

Whilst discussing the current position in relation to the Test & Trace App, the Director of Legal and Governance (and Monitoring Officer) advised the Panel that as restrictions continued to be loosened, the Council had been advised through its Strategic Cell meetings that exemptions to isolation for critical workers (i.e., refuse and housing repairs staff) could now be applied for on a temporary basis notwithstanding that it was still intended by Government to cease almost all isolation restrictions from 16 August 2021 onwards. 

Environmental  ...  view the full minutes text for item CP.3

The Chairman reminded Members that from its inception, the Covid-19 Response and Recovery Scrutiny Panel had wanted to create and install a fitting memorial to celebrate all key workers and their tireless efforts to keep people safe during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Further discussions had revealed the desire for the memorial to take the form of a commemorative bench and having spoken to the Leader of the Council, it was agreed in principle that there could be a commemorative bench located in each of the four areas of Ashfield (i.e., Sutton, Kirkby, Hucknall and the Rural Areas).

It was agreed that the Panel would come up with an initial design and having requested children at a local school in Hucknall to come up with some ideas, a design had been chosen and shown to Members at the meeting.

The Leader of the Council, in attendance at the meeting, confirmed that funding for the commemorative benches would not be a problem but suggested that the design would need further work and finessing by officers prior to any final design being agreed by Cabinet.

RESOLVED

that two preliminary recommendations be submitted to the next meeting Cabinet as follows:

a)    Cabinet be asked to identify funding for four commemorative benches to be located in suitable locations in Kirkby, Sutton, Hucknall, and the Rurals, as a tribute to the tireless efforts of key workers during the COVID-19 pandemic;

b)    following initial design suggestions by the COVID-19 Recovery Scrutiny Panel, further design work regarding the commemorative benches be commenced in line with identified funding.