Agenda item

(To consider an update report from Michelle Andrews, Assistant Director –  Corporate Recovery, on Covid-19)

Consideration was given to an update report from the Assistant Director – Corporate Recovery, on Covid-19. The report provided an overview of the work by the Local Resilience Forum (LRF), partners and Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) to manage Lincolnshire's response to the Covid-19 pandemic since the last report presented to the Board on the 25 February 2021.

The report highlighted the key data as of 15 March in relation to tests carried out, details of the testing programme, the number of cases, deaths and vaccinations carried out (by age group) and the public health measures introduced to mitigate the transmission of Covid-19. The national roadmap had been released on the 22^nd February 2021, and presented the way in which the restrictions would be lifted and gave the earliest dates at which these measures would be reviewed and applied. The three-stage approach, developed for Lincolnshire's recovery journey, was at that point unable to confirm dates as this would be driven at a national level. However, in order to help local services to plan for recovery, Lincolnshire set out the approach that would be taken. This was set out in the report against the steps in which the restrictions would be eased nationally to aid understanding of how the two would be implemented.

In addition to this, Lincolnshire would develop a local road map which would set out the key areas that would be an important part of the recovery in the next 12 months. This would be a public facing document which would aim to give information and assurance to residents, that there was a plan in place to support the recovery from the pandemic. The local road map would set out from April 2021 – March 2022 the reasonable expected scenario in the following sectors: health, care, education, business and economy, community, events management, compliance, engagement and enforcement and public sector finance. Staff from these areas had been asked to contribute to the road map and to provide key milestones that were expected to be achieved. This would enable the County to recover from the pandemic and ensure that the appropriate foundations were in place.

After March 2021, the next scrutiny committee meetings would not be held until June due to the elections on 6 May 2021. There were a number of options for how the scrutiny function could operate during this time, which mirrored the approaches taken during the early days of the first national lockdown when committee meetings could not be held. This could include providing briefing papers to members by email with an invitation to ask questions to officers or provide feedback. In relation to formal decisions that need to be taken during this period, the report for the decision could be circulated by email to members with an invitation to submit comments, which would then be collated by the scrutiny officer for passing on to the decision maker for consideration prior to their decision.

Members discussed the report, and during the discussion the following points were noted:

·               The next Government announcement regarding the lockdown was expected on 29^th March. It was hoped the current restrictions would be fully lifted in June.

·               It was noted that traffic volumes had increased and it was thought that the stay at home message had not been strictly adhered to. Further communications would be issued over the next few weeks to stress the message to the public to stay at home where possible.

·               The Board was saddened to learn that a number of key workers, including those at vaccination centres, had been assaulted during the course of their work and it was reported that additional security measures had been put in place to address these assaults.

·               1022 enforcement actions had taken place in the last 12 months and the next meeting would be informed about how this compared to other Counties.

·               There were no additions from the Board to the sectors included in the local road map which had been outlined above and in the report.

·               The proposals for scrutiny between meetings, as outlined above and in the report, was agreed.

·               A Covid-19 update report should continue to be issued to the Board (via email) in April and May.

RESOLVED: 

That the report be noted and the feedback provided be taken into consideration for future updates.