Agenda item

Council Plan 2018-21 AND COVID-19: Mid-Term Recovery Annual Review

Minutes:

The Director Governance and Partnerships submitted a report presenting a review against the Council Plan 2018-21 in the context of the COVID-19 response and mid-term recovery plan. The operating environment during 2020-21 had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the report outlined how the council had responded and adjusted our responsibilities in the implementation of government guidelines whilst continuing to deliver its core business and improve outcomes for people and place. The council’s priorities in the Council Plan 2018-21 described the actions the council would take and these were extended to incorporate its COVID-19 Mid-term recovery plan:

 

Keeping people safe and well

·        Continue to work hard to keep people safe

·        Lead partnership working across North Lincolnshire to promote wellbeing and improve health outcomes for everyone

·        Prioritise the most vulnerable

·        Provide cleaner and greener space for people to enjoy and use

·        Reduce the spread of COVID-19

·        Protect the most vulnerable in our communities from the impact of COVID-19

Enabling resilient and flourishing communities

·        Support people in their wellbeing through trusted sources of information, advice and guidance

·        Enable our residents to become more involved in community life

·        Engage in new conversations about the things that matter most to you

·        Work in partnership with voluntary and community groups and organisations in COVID-19 recovery

·        Enable communities to shape the recovery landscape

Enabling economic growth and renewal

·        Market North Lincolnshire as a place to live, work, visit and invest,

·        Enable partnership working with businesses to attract high skilled jobs

·        Invest in town centres including securing external funding

·        Provide space for businesses and population to grow through new commercial and housing developments

·        Strive for higher education standards and skills

·        Protect the local economy through strengthened business support

·        Stimulate growth through capital investment and infrastructure

Well led council

·        Maintain the focus on workforce wellbeing

·        Ensure financial resilience and sustainability

·        Ensure effective business continuity through prioritisation of key services and functions

 

The Director in her report explained that as well as responding to the implications of national restrictions, the council continued to keep services running and adapting to the changing environment, led the prevention and management of local outbreaks and worked with businesses and partners to drive economic recovery and growth and in partnership with NHS to enable the successful commencement of the vaccination programme. Appendix 1 of the report provided an executive summary of how the council responded and adjusted its responsibilities in the implementation of government guidelines whilst continuing to deliver core business and improving outcomes for people and place.

 

The Council continued to contribute at sub-regional level as part of the Humber Local Resilience Forum (LRF) where emergency response planning was required at scale across multiple agencies. The Humber LRF stepped down the emergency response arrangements in June 2021 and the recovery phase continued through the Humber Recovery Group. The emergency response arrangements would be stepped up again if required.

 

The Council had also worked closely with the regional health protection team, Public Health England, including the Department of Health and Social Care, Department of Education, Ministry for Communities Housing and Local Government and Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy in respect of the local response and arrangements. Local partnership arrangements had been further strengthened working collaboratively to reduce the spread of the virus and minimize the impact to our residents. Progress on the North Lincolnshire Local Outbreak Management Plan was reported regularly to the Health and Wellbeing Board whose role was extended to be public facing outbreak oversight group.

 

The report also provided a summary of the council’s related financial position and resilience of its workforce over the 2020/21 year.

 

Resolved – (a) That the contents of the report be noted and the continued delivery of priority actions as reset and prepare for renewal be supported; (b) that a more detailed review of the Council Plan be presented to the Autumn meeting of Cabinet, when national performance data has been validated, and (c) that the publication of a review report highlighting the achievements against the council plan and response to the COVID-19 pandemic be supported.

 

Supporting documents: