Issue - meetings

This report provides an update on activities both directly in response to Covid-19 and the work to support recovery and renewal. This follows previous Executive decisions to approve the Recovery and Renewal Plan, which frames the Council’s recovery activity for this year.

Resolved:  That the contents of the report be noted.

The Interim Head of Paid Service presented a report which provided an update on activities in response to Covid-19 and work to support recovery and renewal, following previous Executive decisions to approve the Recovery and Renewal Plan.

The report included updates across the three recovery themes; Economy (paragraphs 8-21), Communities (paragraphs 22-26) and Corporate (paragraphs 27-30). These indicated that York’s economy  had fared comparatively well over the summer and that arrangements were working well in the city’s re-opened schools.  However, significant concerns remained about the rise in cases in York and surrounding areas and the availability of testing. 

The Director of Public Health provided a further update at the meeting on the latest information.  She gave an overview of work taking place in the city, highlighting that infection rates in York had risen, but from a low baseline. Data published by PHE was a week behind local data; hence the local ‘unvalidated’ infection rate was higher, at 61 cases per 100,000. There had been no significant outbreaks in the city, although cases had been reported in 3 care homes and 3 schools.  A walk-in testing centre had opened at Wentworth Way and information would be communicated about this in the coming days.  Support was available for residents, including students, who tested positive.  The council was working with the universities on local contact tracing and continuing to lobby for more testing capacity.

Resolved:  That the contents of the report, and the further information provided at the meeting, be noted.