Agenda item

The Leader presented the Cabinet Report providing an update on the Council’s and its partner’s response to the Covid-19 crisis supporting the City (Residents and Businesses) to comply with the current restrictions and progress in the Council’s Strategic Recovery Aims. 

Since the last report was presented to Cabinet in December Wales upgraded to Alert Level four restrictions due to the new strain of Covid-19 spreading across communities.  There was however also hope in the rollout of the mass vaccination programme starting this month.

During the update, the Leader advised that the Festive period was very different and difficult for us all as the new Alert Level four restrictions came into place from midnight (Sunday morning) 20 December following the confirmation that the new Covid-19 strain attributed towards the rise in the number of positive (covid-19) cases across South East Wales. 

Once again, this meant that non-essential businesses, gyms, leisure centres and hospitality had to close and households had to stay at home and not to continue with their extended household bubble (excluding single person households and Christmas Day).

In the last few months the NHS across Gwent was under enormous pressure in dealing with the increase in hospital admissions and sadly seeing the lives of many loved ones lost due to Covid-19.

The Council and its partners would continue to support our health partners to come through this crisis and also continue to support the Welsh Government’s message of staying at home and only go out to exercise, food and work (if required).

It was important that all residents and businesses complied with these restrictions and help us get through this very difficult time.  There was hope in the rollout of the vaccines (Pfizer and Oxford/AstraZeneca) and the Council would be supporting the Welsh Government and Aneurin Bevan University Health Board to ensure that as many Newport residents received the vaccines over the next year.  This would be a long process and many residents would need to be patient but with the vaccine it would enable us all to meet each other again and help many of our businesses recover.

It was important that Cabinet supported people into new jobs, training and gaining new skills; support children, young people and schools with their education; reduce the inequalities that remained in society for our marginalised, low income households and BAME communities; and finally support those businesses to recover and grow.    

Throughout 2020, Newport Council alongside our partners continued to deliver its services with officers going above and beyond to ensure the most vulnerable are cared for and supported.  The report continued to highlight the ongoing work, challenges faced by services and achievements being delivered by Newport Council.

The Leader thanked staff, partners and other sectors for their continuous work and supported in the delivery of services and looking forward for a better 2021.  Further updates on the Council’s progress would be provided next month.

Comments from Cabinet:

Councillor Truman mentioned that whilst Christmas was like no other there was a light at end of tunnel with three vaccines due to be rolled out however, we must be patient and would get through it.

Councillor Harvey echoed Councillor Truman’s comments and urged those who thought it was a hoax that thousands of people had died from the virus.

Councillor Rahman echoed comments and stressed that younger people were also contracting the virus and that it and only took one person in a household to have Covid and then infect a whole family.

Councillor Davies highlighted how the council was functioning well and that waste collection continued over Christmas.  Officers focussed to ensure homeless people were supported with accommodation and food banks that were in operation.  Councillor Davies also mentioned the dedication of carers that had gone unrecognised.

The Leader concluded that the report reflected on all the hard work being carried out by everyone involved and welcomed the comments from Cabinet colleagues.  The Leader thanked all those people who donated to food banks.  The service delivery ran by these people were also at risk to Covid and we must be mindful going forward to monitor this. 

Agreed:

Cabinet considered the contents of the report and noted the progress being made to date and the risks that were still faced by the Council.