Agenda item

Update on Council's Response to Covid-19

To receive an update on the Council’s response to Covid-19, including how the recommendations of the overview and scrutiny committee agreed by cabinet on 16 June 2020 have been implemented, and how the council has met the challenges it has faced, and lessons for the future.

Minutes:

The committee received an update on the Council’s response to Covid-19, including how the recommendations of the overview and scrutiny committee agreed by cabinet on 16 June have been implemented.  Stephen Gaskell, Director of Response and Renewal introduced the item and highlighted some of the progress in connection with community hubs, emergency planning response, council plan, Southwark’s outbreak prevention control plan and schools re-opening.

 

The committee heard from Councillor Helen Dennis, Cabinet Member for Social Support and Homelessness, Councillor Jasmine Ali, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools, Councillor Evelyn Akoto, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Community Safety and Councillor Catherine Rose, Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Roads.

 

Councillor Ali updated the committee in respect of issues concerning children returning to schools, she particularly mentioned pavement widening outside schools, school bubbles, public health support, lack of track and trace, delivery of laptops to vulnerable children for covid-19 wave 2, nursery provision and children’s centres.

 

Councillor Akoto provided the committee with an update on matters relating to Covid-19 at borough level.  Councillor Akoto provided the committee with information in respect of the seven day incident rate, testing capacity and the establishment of a second testing site and the new test and trace team.

 

Councillor Dennis updated the committee on community hubs and future arrangements with the voluntary sector, incident rates in care homes (none), testing for residents and staff in care homes, PPE supply chains, hospital discharges, homelessness and no recourse to public funds.

 

Councillor Rose reported on the impact of Covid-19 on the environment and public realm.  Councillor Rose touched upon the work needed to facilitate and accommodate functioning services such as retail, opportunities around modal shift of transport and the way people move around (to work and school etc.), impact on residents on estates, the work of keyworkers on estates, work of contractors in relation to refuse and recycling, parks and public spaces and how they are used (socially, for fitness and sense of wellbeing – changed in light of Covid-19).

 

Questions were asked around the following areas:

 

·  Establishment of cross party working group – decision of cabinet

·  Collection of data around the different groups

·  Reach of council communications

·  Social care workers and use of infection control fund

·  Targeted communications to businesses around best practice and social distancing

·  No Recourse to Public Funds – Uncertain immigration status of EEA citizens in light of Brexit

·  Testing of under 15s for coronavirus (asymptomatic)

·  Help for people with long term coronavirus symptoms (particularly with furlough scheme coming to an end).

 

 

Action point - Data presented to health and wellbeing board to be circulated to overview and scrutiny committee members.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the update on the Council’s response to Covid-19 be noted.

 

 

 

 

Supporting documents: