The Leader began his statement by saying he would concentrate on the Covid situation. He advised that he had sent a message out to Members last Thursday and would endeavour to keep Members up to date, as much as he could.

He referred to the reasons why the Government had introduced the 28-day emergency measures saying that it was not about absolute numbers, because they varied so much across the country. The Leader said it had become necessary because of the sharp rise in infection rates through October 2000 which, unless a break was applied, would lead to serious consequences, for public health, the NHS and the economy if large numbers of people became infected. He said that during this restrictive period, it was important that a more efficient track and trace system was put in place and we needed to wait to see what part local government might play in this.

The Leader said that these measures were in many ways different to the spring lockdown and might better be described as Tier 3 plus for all. He said the economy, though severely restricted, was more open, and there was support for business that would have to be managed and the extension of the furlough scheme.

Referring to the end of the emergency measures, the Leader said that what might happen after December 2^nd 2000 was uncertain, but it would be unwise not to anticipate a continuation of restrictions of some kind throughout the winter, and until a vaccine was available for all.

The Leader said that Ministerial responses suggested a probable resumption of the tier system but with the probability that an assessment of where each council lies within that system being based on the data towards the end of this emergency break.

In highlighting the situation in Swale, the Leader said that at the end of September 2000 we had comfortably low levels of infection and now we were at a rate of 271 per 100K. He added that the reality was that the day before the present measures were introduced, Public Health England and KCC were pressing for Swale, along with two other districts in Kent, to go into tier 2, the discussions around this being abandoned once the nationwide measures were announced. The Leader said that data since would suggest that if Swale were to be put into Tier 2 then so should other districts of Kent, and plausibly the whole of Kent.

The Leader said that we had a very powerful incentive over these weeks to demonstrate a levelling off of the rate of growth in Swale, to slow down the momentum.  He added that the virus spread virulently through close personal contact and the measures introduced by the Government were to reduce considerably that contact. The Leader said that we could only tackle the issue here in Swale if we all complied and it was our duty to encourage and exhort that compliance and in particular to monitor compliance in the business community.

The Leader said that he hoped all members would help to spread that message and to discourage any members of the community who wished to glory in their non-compliance. He said that once again, as a Council we would work to support vulnerable people in the community. The Community Support project had been revived to support those who were clinically extremely vulnerable to stay at home as much as possible, though exercise and health appointments were exempt. The Leader said there were 6,200 such people in Swale and we would help them to stay safe by working with voluntary groups and individual volunteers to ensure they had priority supermarket deliveries and also providing advice for accessing medicines, and guidance on mental health matters and loneliness. Whilst falling short of April’s “everyone in” directive, the Government had made it very clear its expectations of local government in keeping the optimum number of people off the streets.

The Leader said that it was impossible to pinpoint scientifically why infection rates varied from place to place but when it was noted that Swale and Thanet were the highest in Kent, and in considering the towns in the north west and north east, it was reasonable to assume a link between infection rates and social and economic deprivation.

The Leader questioned what could be done to reduce poverty levels in Swale? He said there was no immediate and easy answer but there were three critical areas of policy.  Firstly, too many people in Swale existed on low and unreliable incomes and Swale did not attract the kind of investment that produced higher paid jobs because it suffered from a skills deficit. He added that, as a Council, we did not have a skills and education role to play but did have influence. The Leader said that we were clear that change was needed in Swale and we would strongly support any plans to diversify the secondary school offer and to add more vocational education to the curriculum and further education provision for the post 16 age group, which he highlighted as a matter of urgency.

The Leader said that the second critical area was the provision of more decent homes for those on average and low incomes in Swale, adding that the administration had made it clear from the start that we wanted the market and the planning system to provide more but that we would intervene where it was deficient. He referred to the setting up of SBC’s own Local Housing Company being so vital and why it would need to grow in the years ahead, whoever had political control of the Council.

Thirdly, the Leader said there were too many health inequalities in Swale, which were not just an issue of NHS provision but of healthy living and opportunities for fulfilling recreational pastimes. The Leader said that SBC could play a role in this but also had to work closely with the NHS, KCC and with parliamentary colleagues. He said it was also fundamentally a question around a clean environment and if we had some fear that health pandemics were linked to poverty and Swale had a poverty problem, we had to have a strategy and it needed to be based on the common ground just set out and needed to involve politicians and administrators in Swale, regardless of political parties.

In response, the Leader of the opposition thanked the Leader for his thought-provoking and passionate statement and said he was in full support, adding that the clear way out of poverty was to be in employment.  He said that his group would continue to support the coalition when they were doing the right thing, and explain why if they were not in support, adding that they would work constructively and with friendliness with the administration to rid Swale of the virus. The Leader of the opposition referred to daily increases in cases and media footage of public breaching social-distance guidance.  Finally, he spoke positively on working with the Cabinet Member for Economy and Property in considering the additional restrictions on grants.

In the debate that followed, Members raised points including:

·             Were Swale likely to have mass testing and what could be done to assist?;

·             adult gym equipment had closed but children’s play areas remained open;

·             drew attention to adults gathering in groups when collecting children from school;

·             did the Leader agree with Gordon Henderson MP voting against the second lockdown?

·             sought more detail on the age groups and sectors the virus was growing in;

·             needed to get the virus under control as quickly as possible;

·             everyone needed to comply with the guidance;

·             support for vocational education as this was currently undervalued;

·             tackling deprivation was vital in the long term;

·             everyone had a part to play;

·             disappointed at lack of information from Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing and SBC needed to work closer with other bodies;

·             thanked the opposition for their assistance in reviewing the criteria and data on grants and asked Members to publicise the grants available to all communities;

·             concerned about the implications of an extended or additional lockdown on businesses;

·             highlighted that many public did not wear masks and highlighted the pressure Police were experiencing in trying to enforce this;

·             congratulated the Communications team for keeping the public informed;

·             schools should be asked to encourage parents and children to keep safe distances outside schools;

·             thanked and praised the Licensing Team for working with businesses in helping them to continue trading safely; and

·             highlighted the problems of loneliness through the pandemic and encouraged everyone to volunteer with the Community Voluntary Service to assist with their befriending service or other practical help such as shopping.

In his response, the Leader supported all parties working together.  He said that any mass testing was likely to be announced suddenly and it would be difficult to arrange this in rural areas.  He agreed that there were inconsistences in Government advice on different play equipment and this could encourage public confusion and ignorance.  The Leader said that the MP made up his own mind.  He said that constant communication was vital in order to avoid Swale going into Tier 3 and stressed the importance of compliance with guidance in the next few weeks.  He drew attention to cases in care homes, spikes and spread of the virus in households and said that in Swale there was a higher proportion of cases in over 60’s, and, in the working population, the 25-35 age group.  The Leader acknowledged that some public were non-compliant but also highlighted the positive community support, and he thanked the staff working on administering grants. He said there was a limit to Police resources and stressed that, contrary to the comment made, the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing and the whole Council were working very hard with other bodies in tackling the pandemic.