Issue - meetings

That:

1)              a supplementary estimate, in support of the Council’s response to Covid-19, of up to £500,000 be agreed;

2)              it be noted that work has already started in preparation and funding for this has been released by the Deputy Chief Executive (CFO) under emergency powers.

The Executive considered a report requesting a supplementary estimate of up to £500,000 to support the Council’s response to Covid-19.

The Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Services introduced the report and advised the meeting that the supplementary estimate would support a number of initiatives including: 

·       lateral flow testing for care home visitors which would support aged and vulnerable residents and enable them to have visits from their family including physical contact i.e. hold hands etc;

·       the provision of additional contract tracing capacity and;

·       support to assist the CCG deliver the Covid-19 vaccination programme which started last week in the Borough and which was expected to increase significantly early in the new year.

In response to a query about what the implications were for moving to Tier 3 Councillor Margetts acknowledged that there would be financial implications for people in the hospitality industry, who were having to close for the third time in less than a year, and also the difficulties faced by businesses.  Councillor Margetts appealed to everyone to adhere to all Government guidance, including those relating to social distancing and the wearing of masks, and also if anyone had any symptoms they should arrange a test and if asked to socially isolate do so in accordance with the rules. 

With regard to a query in relation to when inoculations would be available across the Borough, Councillor Margetts advised that the CCG had split Wokingham Borough up into five PCN areas and inoculations would be offered in each of these areas by the end of December.  Due to the specialised nature of the equipment that was required to administer the vaccine it was not be possible for all surgeries to undertake inoculations.

Members thanked the Director Adult Social Care, Matt Pope, and all the Officers involved in the Council’s response to the pandemic for all their hard work which was much appreciated.  In response Councillor Margetts stated that he was privileged to work with a  very dedicated department who were solely focussed on doing everything they could to assist residents to get through this pandemic.

RESOLVED that:

1)              a supplementary estimate, in support of the Council’s response to Covid-19, of up to £500,000 be agreed;

2)              it be noted that work has already started in preparation and funding for this has been released by the Deputy Chief Executive (CFO) under emergency powers.