Agenda item

Purpose of Report

To present to Executive a summary of how services had performed during the pandemic with a focus on quarter three, as well as an indication of plans for future operation.

Decision

That:

1)    The achievements, issues and any future concerns raised within the report be noted by Executive.

2)    Progress on the challenge of tackling COVID-19 pandemic be noted by Portfolio Holders with further recovery plans to be discussed with their Service Leads.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Reason for Decision

City of Lincoln Council, like all other businesses, had made dramatic changes as a result of the lockdown resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, not only to ensure that the Council kept its critical services functioning but also, like Councils across the country, delivered a community leadership role for the city in this time of crisis.

As a result, the Council was not in a position to produce a performance report for quarter one, and therefore produced a combined report for the first two quarters of 2020/21. This gave an indication, beyond the usual operational measures, of how the whole Council had performed in effectively leading its communities during the emergency response and rising to the challenge of reprioritising its workload to meet different needs.

At the end of quarter three the Council found itself in a third national lockdown and therefore it had been agreed to delay the quarter end performance report and follow the pattern for the first half of the year, producing a combined report for quarters three and four following the end of the financial year.

To ensure the Executive remained informed on service performance, a document had been produced which set out the way in which the Council responded to the Covid-19 pandemic, how services were impacted and how they had performed. The report specifically provided detail in relation to the following:

·         key themes, opportunities and challenges that had been identified;

·         the introduction of temporary new services;

·         those services temporarily closed;

·         temporary limits to services;

·         fully operational services;

·         temporarily enhanced services;

·         performance targets for the following year.

Councillor Ric Metcalfe welcomed the production of this report which he said acted as a reminder of how much the Council and its staff had pulled together to respond tremendously in response to the pandemic. He said that the Council’s performance during this period was nothing short of magnificent and, on behalf of the Executive, put forward his thanks to the Chief Executive and all City Council staff.

Councillor Christopher Burke echoed these sentiments and referenced the befriending service in particular as something which was set up and operational immediately to support the most vulnerable people in the community.

Councillor Donald Nannestad said that the report and the work the authority had done showed how valuable District Councils were in dealing with such difficult situations at a local level. He praised the tremendous work of officers who had adapted to new ways of working, such as working from home, who had even undertaken roles that they were not necessarily employed for in their usual day-to-day duties, embracing opportunities and demonstrating flexibility.

It was agreed that a joint letter from the Leader of the Council and Chief Executive should be sent to all staff thanking them for their efforts and achievements and that they should be provided with a copy of the report.