Issue - meetings

The Chief Operating Officer to present an update report for February 2021 on the council’s activities both directly in response to Covid-19 and to support recovery and renewal.

Resolved:  That the contents of the report be noted.

The Chief Operating Officer presented a report which provided an update on the council’s activities in response to Covid-19, both directly and to support recovery and renewal. This month’s report included updates in relation to recent flooding, cold weather and pressures on discharge from hospital, and considered the impacts of Brexit and the need to re-open the city when restrictions allowed.

As at 29 January, the rate of positive Covid-19 cases in York had been 269.2 per 100k of population.  This was above the regional average but below the national rate.  Flooding and cold weather in January had placed additional strain on the council’s response.  However, response protocols had coped with the challenge.  Both the vaccination programme and implementation of the test and trace strategy continued to progress well. 

The Chair placed on record his thanks to staff, partners, volunteers, businesses and residents across the city for the way they had responded in the face of difficult weather conditions, and called on government to provide sufficient funding to help prevent future flooding events. He noted that the Covid-19 case rate had fallen significantly in recent weeks and was currently below both the regional and national averages. 

Resolved:  That the contents of the report be noted.