To receive the Chairman and Chief Executive’s announcements.

Council noted the Chairman and Chief Executive’s announcements as printed in the agenda papers and the supplement published on 16 July containing details of an emergency decision taken after the publication of the agenda for the current meeting.

The Chairman introduced his announcements and provided his thanks for the work of all Council staff during the coronavirus outbreak. He referred to a visit undertaken to the Hillside care centre and a flag raising ceremony at the Suvla barracks.

The Chief Executive introduced his announcements and provided an update on actions taken in response to the outbreak of corononavirus among workers on a farm in Mathon. The council had worked with public health West Midlands and other local agencies and partners and there was no indication that the infection had spread beyond the farm.

Members raised the following points and questions on the Chief Executive’s announcements:

·         Clarification was requested concerning the status of care homes referred to in the Chief Executive’s announcements; whether the absence of confirmed cases concerned private care homes. The Chief Executive confirmed that council did not run the 89 care homes in the county but had provided support including the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE).

·         Queries were raised regarding the preparations that had been put in place to deal with potential outbreaks of coronavirus at other locations throughout the county and forms of accommodation housing farm workers. The Chief Executive explained that the response to the outbreak at Mathon had provided valuable learning to the council as well as the government. The learning would inform the response of the council to future outbreaks. The council had written to all residents, businesses and farms to provide a reminder of the need for covid-safe practices during the easing of the lockdown.

·         It was queried whether the police had been consulted on the proposed 20 mph zones in the emergency active travel measures to ensure that they would be enforced. The Director Economy and Place explained that the proposals had been subject to consultation with the police and would be enforceable by the police.

·         The reopening of the Hillside centre was queried including the occupancy of the centre and whether reopening costs had been recouped through the Bellwin scheme. The Director Adults and Communities explained that there were 22 beds at the centre which was used as a step-up facility; currently the centre was being used to support people with coronavirus and with discharges from hospital. An amount of £38k had been recovered from the Bellwin scheme for the redevelopment of the centre and further support through the covid fund would also be accessed.

·         The suspension of food safety inspections was queried.  The Director Economy and Place explained that close work with the Food Standards Agency had taken place and flexibility had been given to councils with respect to hygiene inspections. The suspension of visits was intended to reduce officers accessing businesses and redeploy staff to the response to the outbreak. The suspension was temporary until 30 September.

·         The contribution of seasonal workers to the county was raised and it queried whether testing for coronavirus could be conducted on farms. The Director of Public Health explained that mobile testing on farms was being investigated.

·         Funding from central government to support the response of the council to coronavirus was queried. The chief executive explained that central government was being approached to provide funding to the council, it was expected that the local MPs would assist in these efforts.

·         It was suggested that a press release should be provided to explain that recent reports of coronavirus infections in the workforce at Avara were historic reports. The chief executive explained that this would be looked into. The Director Public Health explained that there was no outbreak at Avara. The response of Avara to cases of coronavirus had been examined by the council to assist learning from good practice.

·         Reports that workers had left the Mathon farm after the outbreak were raised. The Chief Executive and Director of Public Health confirmed that Public Health England had traced the individuals and they were understood to be self-isolating.

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