Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the deputy chief executive – transformation and operations. 

Cabinet considered the report of the deputy chief executive – transformation and operations.  This set out how the council had responded to the Covid-19 pandemic by providing a plethora of community and business support.  The report also set out the agreed staff structure to continue the councils’ response and to progress the recovery programmes.  In addition, the report sought Cabinet’s support for the principles outlined within the document ‘Oxfordshire Covid-19 Recovery and Renewal Framework’. 

Cabinet recognised the effort made to provide community and business support during the pandemic.  Staff worked long hours in addition to meeting the council’s statutory responsibilities and had adapted to new ways of working.  Cabinet thanked staff for their above and beyond efforts. 

Although the pandemic was not over, the council would continue to support its community through the recovery phase, to living with Covid-19 in the long-term.  The council needed to move forward with caution and consideration, continuing to provide a resilient response approach should it be required. 

Appended to the report was an Oxfordshire Covid-19 Recovery and Renewal Framework.  Cabinet was asked to support its principles.  Whilst supporting the three key aims of consolidating recovery and building resilience, addressing the unequal impact of Covid-19, and supporting renewal, Cabinet did not support the framework document as a whole.  The framework, as written, had unnecessary duplication to the council’s corporate plan.  However, Cabinet was keen to support ongoing partnership work and co-operation in response to Covid-19. 

RESOLVED: to

(a)    note the council’s Covid-19 community support response activity to date and the agreed staff structure to continue the response and progress the recovery programmes; and

(b)    support the three aims (as set out in paragraph 8 of the Oxfordshire Covid-19 Recovery and Renewal Framework covering report) of:

(i)     consolidating recovery and building resilience,

(ii)    addressing the unequal impact of Covid-19, and

(iii)    supporting renewal,

and support continued work and co-operation with partners, but Cabinet does not support the framework document as a whole.