Issue - meetings

Covid response and next steps

Meeting: 10/03/2022 - Cabinet (Item 92)

92 Covid response and next steps pdf icon PDF 1 MB

To consider the report of the deputy chief executive – transformation and operations. 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the report of the deputy chief executive – transformation and operations.  This set out how the council had responded to the Covid-19 pandemic by providing community and business support.  The report also set out the agreed staff structure to continue the councils’ response and to progress the recovery programmes.  In addition, the report sought Cabinet’s support for the principles outlined within the document ‘Oxfordshire Covid-19 Recovery and Renewal Framework’. 

 

The Cabinet member highlighted the areas of support provided to the community and businesses during the pandemic.  Cabinet thanked staff for the effort made.  Staff had adapted to new ways of working, often committing long hours to support the Covid effort and to meet their other responsibilities. 

 

Although the pandemic was not over, the council would continue to support its community through the recovery phase, to living with Covid-19 in the long-term.  The council needed to move forward with caution and consideration, continuing to provide a resilient response approach should it be required.  

 

Appended to the report was an Oxfordshire Covid-19 Recovery and Renewal Framework.  Cabinet was asked to support its principles.  Cabinet supported the three key aims of consolidating recovery and building resilience, addressing the unequal impact of Covid-19, and supporting renewal, together with the cross-cutting priorities of tackling climate change and tackling inequality.  However, Cabinet did not support the framework document.  Cabinet considered that the work undertaken to date was effective and met the aims set out in the council’s corporate plan.  The framework, as written, proposed unnecessary duplication to the work already being undertaken.  However, Cabinet was keen to support ongoing partnership work and co-operation in response to Covid-19. 

 

RESOLVED: to

 

(a)    applaud the council’s Covid-19 community support response activity to date and note the agreed staff structure to continue the response and progress the recovery programmes; and

 

(b)    support the three aims (as set out in paragraph 8 of the Oxfordshire Covid-19 Recovery and Renewal Framework covering report) of:

·       consolidating recovery and building resilience,

·       addressing the unequal impact of Covid-19, and

·       supporting renewal,

and the two cross-cutting priorities of:

·       tackling climate change and

·       tackling inequality

and support continued work and co-operation with partners, but Cabinet does not support the renewal framework.