The Leader will present his statement.
Minutes:
The Leader of the Council presented a verbal statement updating the Assembly on a range of matters since the last meeting, focussing on the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) which had been announced earlier that day.
The CSR announcement did not include support for local authorities to continue running their services and would in fact mean leaving the Council with no choice but to increase in Council Tax, which would penalise the poorest in our communities by asking them to pay more. This came at a time when residents were struggling with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Leader urged residents to stay at home this Christmas and avoid meeting with family members to help reduce the infection rates in the Borough and reduce the number of deaths from the horrible disease. The Leader asked that all residents and workers in only go out if they need to, and if they needed to go out to take appropriate measures such as social distancing and wearing a mask.
Other issues covered in the Leader’s statement included:
White Ribbon Day: White Ribbon Day on Friday 20th November was an important time to show that the Council continued to stand against any type of abuse. It was important to acknowledge that there would be a dipropionate amount of women suffering domestic abuse in the Borough during the current pandemic and Members were reminded of the strong support networks in the Council and partners for those suffering from domestic abuse.
Film Studios: The agreement for the film studies was signed on 3rd November with Hackman Capital Partners and HBS. Hackman Capital Partners would be putting £1m into a training pot for local people, which would be topped up with every blockbuster film made at the studios.
United States of America Presidential Election: The Leader congratulated Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on their success in the recent Presidential Election particularly with Kamala Harris becoming the first woman to hold the office of Vice President of the United States and the first Black and Asian woman.
Drive-in Christmas Carol Service: The prospect of a drive-in Christmas Carol service was being explored and it was hoped that this would include streaming of the service to residents.
Free Parking Permits for NHS staff and Key Workers: The Council would be extending the free parking permits for nearly 1,850 people, with over 1,350 for NHS Workers until the end of January.
A13 Tunnel: There had been no update in the CSR regarding the tunnel along the A13, despite the benefits this would bring for the environment, housing and job opportunities in the Borough.
Finance: The Leader gave thanks to the Cabinet, with particular reference to the Cabinet Member for Finance, Performance and Core Services, for balancing the budget despite the difficult times and the enormous pressure that the Council was under.
Wall of Shame: The 50th edition of the Wall of Shame had been published online and the Leader made reference to correspondence that he had received from an ex local resident who advised that they had moved out of the Borough since a family members was featured on an episode of the Wall of Shame.
Christmas Cheer Campaign: In previous years, the Mayor had always taken part in donating gifts to children. This year it would be extended to support vulnerable families with a Christmas hamper and providing a call from a volunteer to those who may be isolated.