Agenda item

The Cabinet considered a joint report of the Chief Executive, Director of Corporate Resources, Director of Adults and Communities and Director of Public Health which advised of the impact of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic within the County and the plans and work in hand within the County Council and with partners to respond. A copy of the report, marked ‘Agenda item 4’, is filed with these minutes.

 

Members noted comments from Dr. T. Eynon CC on behalf of the Labour Group, a copy of which is filed with these minutes.

 

In introducing the report, the Chief Executive paid tribute to the work of the Council’s Assistant Chief Executive, Tom Purnell, who had led on the Council’s resilience response to the pandemic.

 

With reference to the work being undertaken to prepare some of the Council’s Recycling and Household Waste Sites for re-opening, the Chief Executive said that Government guidance was still awaited. He added that district councils had been asked to ensure at least two weeks’ worth of operational green and bulky waste collections was undertaken before sites were re-opened to avoid them becoming immediately overwhelmed.

 

Mr Rushton CC welcomed the success of the Council’s Communities Fund, which had allocated over £1.2m to local voluntary and community sector organisations, and had been awarded the #togetherwecare award by Leicestershire Cares.

 

The Cabinet asked that its appreciation to all those who were working to keep critical services going during the current circumstances be recorded.

 

With permission of the Chairman, Dr Eynon CC addressed the Cabinet. She also thanked members of staff for their hard work and highlighted the major challenges the Council would face over the coming months. With reference to the Council’s recovery planning, she requested that an all member recovery group be established, which the Chairman agreed to consider.

 

Mr Rhodes CC said that the impact on the Council’s finances would be significant and it continued to lobby Government for further funding to help mitigate the rising costs of responding to the pandemic.

 

Mr. Rushton CC, having declared a personal interest leading to bias as Chairman of the Bradgate Park Trust, left the meeting at this point for the remainder of the item in order that the recommendation pertaining to this could be considered.

 

Mr. B. L. Pain CC – in the Chair

 

The Director of Corporate Resources said that the allocation of a £90,000 loan to the Bradgate Park Trust would help compensate for the loss of car parking and other income during its period of closure. He added that the Trust had used the Government’s Furlough Scheme and would be applying for other Government grants where available.

 

RESOLVED:

 

a)    The Cabinet notes –

 

                          i.          The local declaration of a major incident with regard to Covid-19 and, accordingly, the passing of the Chairmanship of the Local Resilience Forum’s Gold Command Group for this incident to the Police;

 

                         ii.          Action taken by the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader of the Council, to increase the Leicestershire Communities Fund to £1.5m;

 

                       iii.          Action taken by Chief Officers following consultation with Cabinet Lead Members to close or reduce some County Council services to enable it to comply with national rules introduced to contain the spread of the virus and focus resources on essential services;

 

                       iv.          That, whilst further Government guidance on the reopening of recycling and household waste sites is awaited:

 

·       the County Council is planning to reopen some sites in the week commencing 18th May once the necessary arrangements, including social distancing and traffic management, and public communications, are in place;

 

·       it will be emphasised to all concerned that recycling and household waste sites are not substitutes for kerb side collections;

 

·       therefore, the Leicestershire district councils be all requested, in line with previous officer advice, to ensure there are two weeks’ worth of operational green and bulky waste collections completed prior to reopening of sites, so that the reopened sites are not immediately overwhelmed;

 

·       the County Council is liaising with the other waste disposal authorities in the East Midlands with the intention of minimising additional traffic on the roads by having consistent reopening arrangements across the region as far as possible.

 

                        v.          The significant financial impact that the Covid-19 pandemic is having on the Council’s finances and that only a part of the additional costs incurred will be met by Government grant;

 

                       vi.          That in light of (v) above, the Council will need to consider what services can be reduced or stopped and will undertake a fundamental review and reprioritisation of the current Capital Programme;

 

                     vii.          That work has commenced on ‘recovery’ and a report on this will be made to the Cabinet meeting on 23rd June;

 

b)    That a loan up to a maximum of £90,000 be made to the Bradgate Park Trust and that the Director of Corporate Resources be authorised to agree the terms of the loan;

 

c)     That the Cabinet’s thanks on behalf of the County Council be conveyed to Sichuan Province for its donation of Personal Protective Equipment;

 

d)    That Cabinet’s thanks on behalf of all members to County Council staff and the Local Resilience Forum be placed on record.

 

REASONS FOR DECISION:

 

To note the many issues that have arisen and actions that have been taken since the previous Cabinet meeting on 24th March.

 

The County Council’s Communities Fund will help to support voluntary and community sector organisations across Leicestershire at this very difficult time.

 

The Bradgate Park Trust had asked for a loan to help offset the loss of car parking and other income during the lockdown period; this was considered to be a reasonable request and can be dealt with by the Director of Corporate Resources.

 

To put on record the Cabinet’s continued appreciation for the work done by Council officers and LRF partners and thanks for the donation from Sichuan Province.

 

(Mr. Rushton then returned to the meeting and resumed the Chair)