Agenda item

(Report of the Assistant Director, Partnerships and the Assistant Director Neighbourhoods)

The Chair welcomed the Portfolio Holder for Housing Services and Communities, Councillor M Cook, and the Assistant Director Partnerships and Assistant Director Neighbourhoods who were in attendance to provide an update to the committee on the actions taken to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing actions around the most vulnerable people in the local community.

Councillor Cook confirmed that supporting vulnerable communities was one of the Council’s paramount priorities, and the exceptional response to the COVID-19 pandemic reflected that.  Councillor Cook invited the officers attending to provide an overview of the report for members.

The Officers highlighted:

·       The immediate response from various anchor organisations which locally mobilised support to vulnerable groups;

·       The deployment of Council resources to support the anchor organisations;

·       The coordination work of the Local Resilience Forum;

·       The tailored support for homeless people;

·       The successful lottery bid for resources to support the ongoing support over the next six months.

The Committee sought and received clarification in the following areas;

·       How support from Staffordshire County Council and Tamworth Borough Council interacted.  The officers reported that the county was responsible for delivering services to those identified on the clinical vulnerable list, and where the county received contact from others within the borough these were signposted to local support.

·       The work underway to manage any second wave in cases of COVID-19. The officers reported that the environmental health team were involved and support would be available for a small localised lockdown if necessary and arrangements were in place to provide mutual aid, if there looked to be the need for a more widespread local lockdown.  The processes had now been established which would be capable of being deployed as necessary. Furthermore in terms of the funding and ongoing support for voluntary groups, officers responded that this would be addressed through the partnership working.

·       The research work commissioned to produce a base line assessment which was welcomed by members.

·       The work to support homeless people and the actions which would continue to prevent future homelessness.  Officers confirmed that all approaches received during the lockdown period were accommodated, and proactive work continued in terms of designing a housing plan and to address any associated issues.

·       The local situation on domestic abuse during lockdown.  Officers confirmed that whilst reported domestic abuse had not shown a great increase, there had been some increase in self referrals.  The Assistant Director Partnerships agreed to circulate to Members, when available, relevant figures on domestic abuse.

The Officers, Members, and the Portfolio Holder reiterated the massive contributions of the voluntary sector, as well as local businesses and officers in the council, who had contributed to the partnership led response.

RESOLVED that it be recommended to Cabinet that a joint letter from all the Leaders of each political group and the Chief Executive be issued to thank all anchor organisations involved in the response to COVID-19 in the borough.

(Moved by Councillor R Ford and seconded by Councillor S Peaple)

RESOLVED that the Committee:

1. Noted and endorsed the contents of the report and actions taken
2. Thanked anchor organisations, such as Communities Together, for their unwavering efforts to support some of the most vulnerable across Tamworth Borough Council
3. Commented on the emerging evidence base and questions as work progresses on vulnerability and recovery planning, set out on page 3 of this report.

(Moved by Councillor P Brindley and seconded by Councillor S Peaple)

The Chair thanked the Portfolio Holder and Officers for their attendance and they then left the meeting.