Minutes:
The Council’s Corporate Leadership Team and Communications Officer gave an update in relation to the Council’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak as follows:-
Chief Executive
Directors forming the Council’s Corporate Leadership Team (CLT) were recently reorganised to provide a lead on priority areas, as advised following meetings with the Local Resilience Forum (LRF):-
Chief Executive and Director of Legal and Governance – Strategic Priorities;
Director of Place and Communities – Economic Priorities;
Director of Resources and Business Transformation – Council Services Continuity;
Director of Housing and Assets – Humanitarian Priorities;
Corporate Finance Manager (and S151 Officer) – Financial Priorities.
The Directors would also be using key third and fourth tier officers, as required, to co-ordinate work as required. In relation to Council Services Continuity, the Director of Resources and Business Transformation was currently working closely with Human Resources (HR) to ensure employees were supported appropriately throughout the crisis and to co-ordinate any redeployment requirements to ensure services levels were maintained as necessary.
Director of Place and Communities
The Economic Group had been set up the previous Friday and was currently ascertaining how local businesses could be supported both short and longer term, via the Government grants on offer. The Council’s leisure centres had closed the previous week following instructions from Central Government and a meeting was due to take place with the D2N2 Board on Tuesday who were taking a regional lead in relation to support to businesses.
Documentation had been received outlining the basket of grants on offer to assist businesses through the crisis and further information was awaited regarding the setup for business rate relief. Keeping key businesses open and trading was to be a priority and Members were asked to keep officers updated of any changing circumstances with local businesses within their areas.
Director of Housing and Assets
The Humanitarian Group had already liaised with the County Council regarding the letters being sent out to the £1.5 million high-risk patients nationally and the shielding strategies being implemented. The County Council had agreed to share details of the high-risk patients within Nottinghamshire to enable the Council to contact those within the Ashfield District and offer support as required.
Most high-risk patients would already have agreed care packages in place but both voluntary organisations and the Council could simultaneously offer additional support by fielding enquiries and signposting accordingly. A team had already been earmarked to undertake these duties as and when required.
The County Council were taking the lead on Humanitarian priorities during the outbreak, in conjunction with the City and District Councils, and would be moving towards a single contact number and website for all enquiries going forward. Volunteers were already being requested and recruited to not only assist with managing these contact points, but to offer further support to local charities, groups and businesses as the need for assistance increased during the outbreak.
Letters would be posted out today to all residents within Council sheltered housing schemes to advise them of important contact numbers for emergency repairs etc. and any pertinent information regarding any agreed Covid-19 procedures as required.
Corporate Finance Manager (and Section 151 Officer)
The Council’s main concerns at present were cash flow and any significant short-term financial implications. Of the £1.6 billion being allocated to local authorities by Central Government to help them respond to Covid-19 pressures across their services, Ashfield District Council was to receive £68,000 by the 3rd April, 2020.
The Finance Group would now be looking at how the funding could be allocated with a requirement to report back to Government with a breakdown of spend in due course. To assist the Group, the Service Manager for Revenues and Benefits would be presenting an analysis of how the funding could contribute towards the grants and rate reliefs currently assigned to claimants as required.
Communications Officer
The website was being updated daily to offer the most up to date support and guidance to Ashfield residents in relation to the Covid-19 outbreak. Residents were being encourages to seek out information on all media channels including email, phone and social media and being signposted to the Government and NHS websites. Waste collection information was being updated regularly and advice for tenants, local businesses and rough sleepers was also currently available.
Coronavirus FAQs were due to be included on the website imminently and a call out for volunteers to contact the Council for signposting should they wish to offer their services to the voluntary sector during the outbreak.