Agenda item

Purpose: to summarise the actions that have occurred to deliver the Covid-19 Recovery Strategy, and to notify members that all outstanding work will now move into Business As Usual and be considered for the future Council Strategy 2023-27.

Resolved that Executive approve the disbanding of Covid-19 recovery work and move any outstanding work into ‘business as usual’ or form part of the Council Strategy 2023-27.

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 15 July 2022, then it will be implemented.

Councillor Doherty introduced and proposed the report (Agenda Item 9), which summarised the actions that had occurred to deliver the Covid-19 Recovery Strategy, and notified Members of the intention to move all outstanding work into Business As Usual and be considered as part of the future Council Strategy 2023-27.

Councillor Doherty recognised the significant long term impact that Covid would have on the district, particularly having very sadly caused the death of three hundred and thirty-two residents to date.

Councillor Doherty noted that the Covid-19 Recovery Strategy had received cross-party partnership and unity in recognising the three key areas of focus, namely health, education and the economy.

Councillor Doherty highlighted the help of volunteers in rolling out the vaccine across the county, the fact that four hundred and fifty West Berkshire business had benefitted from £6.42M of Additional Restrictions Grant funding (ARG), and the beneficial impact to health which had been achieved with the ‘Get Active’ and ‘Surviving to Thriving’ initiatives in partnership with the Greenham Trust.

Councillor Doherty thanked everybody for their work in making the Covid-19 Recovery Strategy so successful.

Councillor Mackinnon thanked the Revenue and Benefits Team for working so hard to ensure that grant money was awarded to businesses as quickly as possible.

Councillor Stewart commented that there was a small sum of ‘Surviving to Thriving’ money left should any community group have a project for improving mental health that required additional funding. 

Councillor Erik Pattenden queried how well ‘catch up’ was doing in schools, and what was being done to redress the education that had been missed as a result of Covid.

Councillor Doherty referred Councillor Pattenden to page 87 of the Agenda pack which detailed the programmes in place to assist, but acknowledged that information was still coming to light as to long term effects, and that it was likely that work would be required for many years to come.

Councillor Boeck commented on a recent press release in relation to Key Stage 2 results which noted that results were generally not as good as pre-pandemic, but that reading scores had improved from past years.

Councillor Culver expressed the Green Group’s thanks to all that had worked so hard during lockdown, particularly the volunteers and community groups, and to the Council for all the help given to local businesses.   

In relation to the lack of available domiciliary care referred to on page 76 of the agenda pack, Councillor Vickers queried whether it was due to the latest Covid variant or to the lack of competitiveness in the job market.

Andy Sharp reported that it was a national issue as well as being a local problem. He commented that West Berkshire Council had been successful in supporting the market through Covid in comparison to other local authorities, and added that work was underway to try and grow the workforce.

Councillor Bridgman seconded the report, and reflected that whilst there was a move to a ‘business as usual approach’, Covid had not disappeared and that needed to be reflected to remind the public that people still needed to be aware of the continued, albeit reduced threat.

Councillor Bridgman commented that the community response had been magnificent and that the town and parish involvement and engagement that had been initiated was now being built upon.

RESOLVED that:  Executive approve the disbanding of Covid-19 recovery work and move any outstanding work into ‘business as usual’ and/or form part of the Council Strategy 2023-27.

Other options considered: Council could continue monitoring the Strategy but this has been disregarded as it is substantively completed. The Council could also formulate a new Strategy for the longer term but this is disregarded as this thinking should be built into the wider Council Strategy for 2023-27.