Decision details

Councillors considered the report and appendices that set out the Council’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Officers across the organisation also presented their individual reports detailing the impact of the pandemic on the services their team provided, the unfolding of events and consequential demands on the service, and how these had been addressed.  The officers’ reports are attached to these minutes.

The Council had continued to deliver critical front line services to assist the vulnerable within the community and maintained other services such as environmental health, planning and building control services and its full range of refuse collection and recycling services.  In order to achieve this, the Council had redeployed a considerable number of staff where necessary to cover frontline duties.  Staff had been required to learn new skills, adapt and put these into practice at notice, whilst working from home.

The combined effect of additional expenditure to provide an emergency response to residents, and reduced income meant the Council faced a significant financial shortfall on its Budget for 2020-21.  Although additional funding had been received from central government, this still left a significant shortfall that would need to be addressed.  The Council, in conjunction with other local councils, continued to lobby government for additional funding to cover their costs. 

Officers had examined the various options available to address the financial shortfall and opportunities to recoup the costs expended on the pandemic and presented these in the report. 

Councillors thanked the Chief Executive, officers and staff for their excellent work and commitment during the pandemic. 

Council considered together the first two recommendations to note:

1.    The emergency response to COVID-19 as set out in the detailed report of the Virtual Borough Emergency Centre (V-BEC); and

2.    The initial assessment of the impact on Spelthorne Borough Council’s short term financial position.

Resolved to note the report of V-BEC and the initial assessment of the Council’s short term financial position.

It was moved by Councillor I.T.E. Harvey and seconded by Councillor A.J. Harman to amend the third recommendation to Council to read:

 “That the Council approves a revenue supplementary estimate for 2020-21 of £2.172million as the most likely net adverse impact, as stated at page 112 of the report, to be funded from useable revenue reserves, such funding to be drawn down only if further government support is not forthcoming or is insufficient to cover the financial impact of COVID-19 on the Council and sufficient cost savings cannot be found.

The final amount will be reported to Council in due course and if necessary further approval will be sought if the figure required exceeds £2.172million.”

A recorded vote was requested as this was a financial matter that impacted on the Council budget.  Voting was as follows:

The motion was carried unanimously.

Resolved to approve a revenue supplementary estimate for 2020-21 of £2.172million as the most likely net adverse impact, to be funded from useable revenue reserves, such funding to be drawn down only if further government support is not forthcoming or is insufficient to cover the financial impact of COVID-19 on the Council and sufficient cost savings cannot be found.

The final amount to be reported to Council in due course and if necessary further approval will be sought if the figure required exceeds £2.172million.

Council considered the recommendation on the application of the six months’ rule for absence from meetings.

Members had limited opportunity to attend meetings as many had been cancelled due to the pandemic and pending publication of the required government regulations.  This would ensure that they were not disadvantaged by the statutory rule requiring members to attend a meeting within a six month period. 

Resolved to approve the absence from attendance at meetings from 20 February 2020 until the date of the Annual Council Meeting of any member to which the six months’ rule would otherwise apply.

An amendment to the fifth recommendation was moved by Councillor I.T.E. Harvey and seconded by Councillor A.J. Harman:

“That the Council agrees the Annual Council Meeting be held on Thursday 18 June 2020”

Resolved to agree that the Annual Council Meeting be held on Thursday 18 June 2020.

At 8.00pm immediately before the conclusion of the meeting the Mayor asked all councillors to join in the Clap for Carers to record their appreciation of the dedication and magnificent work of NHS staff, all keyworkers and the council staff who have supported local communities in the current climate.