Agenda item

Chief Executive to report

The Chief Executive (Devon County Council) reported on the current position within Devon relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and measures being undertaken by the County Council with the NHS and the private/voluntary care sectors to safeguard the public and mitigate the wider impacts of the virus, as follows:

·         the relatively low number of positive cases and deaths in Devon (1100 and 125 respectively, to date), although the actual number of positive cases was likely to be significantly higher;

·         Devon had one of the lowest number of cases and deaths nationally, 146^th of 150 upper tier local authorities;

·         with the recent relaxation of lock down rules and increased number of visitors, to date there had been no increased rate of positive cases;

·         the incidents of cases in care home settings was the lowest nationally in the South West and Devon was the lowest in the South West according to figures by Public Health England and there was ongoing work to support Devon’s care homes;

·         the number of cases/deaths was supported by press coverage showing excess deaths in Devon was in the lowest category nationally and North Devon was the lowest overall;

·         work to support care home settings, taking pressure off the NHS;

·         the Council had established in January a multidisciplinary Pandemic Incident Team to help coordinate the response and advise the leadership group and now this was being disbanded with other governance arrangements in place;

·         the Council had been chosen as a Beacon Council with a national profile;

·         formation of the Health Protection Board and a Local Breakout Management Team (reporting to the local Outbreak Board led by the Leader of the Council) to coordinate the response in the South West both led by the Council’s Director of Public Health with colleagues across the region; 

·         the excellent work of the communications team and the Transport Co-ordination Team during the pandemic; and

·         staff surveys which indicated the positive view of employees relating to their welfare.  

In response to Members’ questions the Chief Executive’s comments included:

·         the current national operation of the test and track arrangements and which would in time include a local response with partners as required and the developing technology to improve this important area;

·         the close work by the Council with partners to mitigate any outbreaks with the expected influx of more visitors to the County and the South West as lockdown rules were relaxed;

·         contingency planning in regard to local outbreaks and the close work of all three tiers of local government in Devon and with voluntary local resilience groups in developing local initiatives across the County;

·         it was anticipated that any local lockdown would be a last resort after all other mitigation actions had been put in place;

·         the County Council had submitted financial returns to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government to cover the additional cost of the pandemic totalling  £39.180 m of which £36.711m had been granted, representing a small gap of some £2.5m which was manageable (£26m was earmarked for Adult Social Care and Health (including £5m for PPE), £12.5m to support care providers, £5.7 m for Children’s Services, and £2m for mortuary services, and £3m on other services);

·         the current financial impact across the Districts and implications for future Council Tax demands was significant and a Team Devon led by the  County Council would be addressing the overall economic impacts, noting the District Councils’ significant loss of revenue estimated at £95 m across the County on which representations had been made to the Government Minister; 

·         value of Scrutiny in reviewing the management of the crisis and ongoing economic and other impacts; and

·         the developing new ways of working arising from the pandemic for example the success of virtual meetings at all levels including Cabinet and other formal Member meetings such as this and the other Scrutiny Committees (Minute *185 below refers).  

The Chair and other Members  commended the Council’s Leadership team and all staff in its response to the pandemic to mitigate its impact and protect the wellbeing of all communities in Devon.