The Leader said that because he had kept Members regularly updated and there was such a detailed agenda, his statement would be concise.

He said that the previous Monday saw the reopening of non-essential retail in the high streets. SBC would receive £134,000 of European Funding and officers had been putting plans in place.  He added that, for now, SBC would be focusing on the high streets in:

Sittingbourne;

Sheerness; and

Faversham;

as well as including Leysdown to ensure the increase in population over the Summer months was taken into consideration and managed effectively.

The Leader said that immediate actions had included:

Engagement with businesses and other stakeholders;

daily sanitising of assets in high streets, including car park ticket machines;

signage, banners and notices;

temporary one-way systems using floor stencils and other markings for social distancing; and

removing street clutter.

He added that SBC’s communications and messaging centred on 3 key themes – stay safe, be kind, take your time, and that SBC were working in partnership with the Police, KCC and parish and town councils to ensure a joined-up approach and collective effort.

The Leader said that impact of opening would be assessed, and preparations made for the wider opening of pubs and restaurants outdoors from the 22^nd June 2020. So far reports in the main had been positive and shops were managing social distancing and were happy with efforts being made.

The Leader said that linked to this was work done at short notice to respond to KCC’s ask for project ideas towards the Active Travel Project.   He said that they had received a first tranche of £1.6 million from the Department of Transport for temporary/ trial projects that enhanced safe cycling and walking, and that SBC’s bid amounted to just over £100,000 for schemes such as pedestrianising the high streets, a 20mph zone in Faversham and realigning traffic crossing timings at pinch points.

The Leader said that SBC were waiting to see if it was successful in its bid and looking at alternative ways to fund and implement these ideas as part of its wider recovery, and reopening the high street project. This included using Emergency Road Traffic Orders to pedestrianise Sittingbourne, Sheerness and Faversham high streets between 10am - 4pm, Monday – Thursday, starting on the 25^th  June 2020, on a trial basis.

Referring to the Council’s considerable response to the Pandemic Crisis, he said that there would be much more to do, and he was determined that SBC should have a robust Recovery Plan that all could buy into. The Leader said that central to any plan must be steps to give the local economy all the support it could muster, and that practical completion of the Spirit of Sittingbourne Phase 1 would give a stimulus to the Sittingbourne Town Centre.

The Leader said that the Council had responded very well to the demands made by government, whether through the community support hub, the support to businesses or in reinforcing social distancing and he gave the major share of the credit to officers who had responded with leadership and energy.

The Leader warned that the Council’s resources, compared with other authorities, were severely stretched and some officers have had to embrace superhuman levels of work. He said that this was not sustainable, particularly in the challenging times ahead and he advised that the first step would be to appoint a Chief Executive for the Council as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Finally, the Leader said that support was being given to the 15 people from four households affected by the cliff collapse in Eastchurch. The family who had lost their home had been offered a property on the Isle of Sheppey and the three other households were in temporary accommodation.  The Leader advised that specialist surveyors had carried out a geotechnical survey of the cliff and the results would be considered. Further decisions about the affected properties would be made as soon as possible.

The Leader said that he would take a response from the Leader of the opposition but hoped, subject to the Council agreeing, to make it possible for more members to respond to the statement, as long as it was time-limited and did not degenerate into the past grandstand which wasted so much time.

The Leader of the opposition thanked the Leader and praised the work carried out by staff.  He supported the Leader’s future proposal to include other Members to respond to his statement.