Agenda item

Report attached (including appended ‘COVID-19 Recovery and Reform’ Report to Cabinet, 11 June 2020).

Rob Powell (Strategic Director for Resources) introduced the Report which presented the work that had been undertaken across the portfolio of the Resources and Fire & Rescue Overview and Scrutiny Committee in response to the COVID-19 crisis. He also directed members’ attention to the ‘COVID-19 Recovery and Reform’ Report to Cabinet of 11 June 2020 which provided an overview of the framework for recovery across the organisation including the proposed phased recovery programme (Foundation, Consolidation and Acceleration).

Rob Powell praised the Authority’s response to the crisis, commenting that the speed and volume of the work undertaken (including development of new ways of working, committee meetings held remotely, support for vulnerable people, delivery of food parcels to those in need, and a remotely operated library service) displayed the Council’s capacity to innovate. He observed that a transformation process that would have taken a year in ordinary circumstances had been delivered within the period of a handful of weeks.

Rob Powell observed that the Authority now had an opportunity to draw upon the positive working practices developed during the period of lockdown when re-establishing services. He commented that the organisation would need to balance current requirements with a long-term strategy for recovery. He added that it was likely that the Council would face some difficult financial choices given that the economic implications of the virus were not yet fully apparent.

Rob Powell commented that each of the four COVID-19 Recovery Member Working Groups were likely to cover subjects of interest to the Resources and Fire & Rescue Overview and Scrutiny Committee but that the Community Group and Organisation Group would be particularly relevant. He advised that it was proposed that the Member Groups would report to Cabinet in September 2020 and that the Change Portfolio would be aligned with the resulting COVID-19 Recovery Plan to enable the organisation to move forward with confidence.

The Chair expressed his gratitude for the effort and commitment demonstrated by the Council’s staff. He praised the foresight exhibited by all those instrumental in the rollout of Surface Pro devices which had greatly improved the organisation’s resilience during the period of lockdown.

In response to Councillor Reilly, Rob Powell underlined the importance of voluntary and community groups to the recovery process. He suggested that coordination of activities with the voluntary and community sector would form a core element of the work of the Community Working Group. He added that shielding efforts had been operated in partnership across public bodies, community groups and town and parish councils; he forecast that the voluntary sector would play an important role in recovery strategies. Councillor Crump stated that, as Chair of the Community Working Group, he would be grateful to receive comments from members to enable wider consideration of the role of voluntary groups.

Councillor Boad highlighted the value of the role of town and parish councils in the recovery process. She suggested that liaison with Warwickshire Association of Local Councils (WALC), a body for which she was vice-chair, would offer benefits to coordinate activities. However, she stressed that town and parish councils had not benefitted from the same level of robust ITC provision which had helped to support the County Council’s response to the pandemic. The Chair praised the work undertaken by Charles Barlow and his team in working closely with community groups.

In response to Councillor Falp, Rob Powell advised that the welfare scheme to provide free school meals during the summer holidays would be funded by central government. Councillor Kaur added that the free school meal voucher scheme had continued to operate in Warwickshire following school closures and that the government’s recent announcement to reinstate funding during the school holiday period had been welcomed by the Authority.

Resolved:

That the Committee notes the Report.