Agenda item

Allan Wiltshire, Head of Policy and Performance gave a presentation to the Board with regard to the impacts of Covid-19 and how any emerging themes or points would affect the Borough Strategy that was currently being drafted.

The first point touched on during the presentation, referred to the indirect impacts of covid-19, and how this would effect the communities in the Borough long term. One of these for example was poverty with many inequalities widening further than previously. There were some positives however, with the environmental benefit of less traffic on the road as a result of so many people working digitally. Some of these impacts may seem small but when looked at alongside others would start to have effect.

Moving forward, Officers reported it was now important to look towards the future and the wider recovery for the Borough. This looked at how the Council wold respond to the crisis and what could they build on that had already started. Looking at the Mayor’s 10 Point Plan as a starting point, there was a lot of work already established that would be utilised moving forward. Taking plans from the wider region and sub region, there would be different areas of focus to ensure that resources were in place where needed and the vulnerable were well supported. It was a huge project moving forward and many streams of work that needed building.

In terms of the Delivery, it was important to address all the impacts of Covid-19, ensure that the Council was responding to any issues, and bring all aspects into one place. It was important that the focus was agile and able to react quickly in order to deliver the results needed in order to deliver the plan.

Officers also touched on the Emerging Borough Strategy which would also look to tie in aspects of the impact of Covid-19 and how it was shaping the Doncaster Growing Together Plan. Members noted that it was important to produce a sustainable plan that created achievable goals. A lot of good work was being done to create the foundation for long term work, and a number of themes for the plan were starting to emerge with the following points highlighted as key priorities:-

·         Cleaner and Greener communities

·         Connected places

·         Safe communities

·         Healthy and caring

·         Inclusive lifelong learning

The Board felt the plans for the Strategy were very comprehensive, and felt it was important that the financial impact of Covid-19 was strongly emphasised, as it would take a long time to recover from this.  Members added that the economic strain would affect all organisations and partnerships and it was important that they were realistic moving forward as to what could be achieved.

A discussion continued with a number of points raised that officers noted for moving forward, with the following noted:-

·         The input of third sector groups and their representation and the importance of widening this on the Board moving forward. With regard to this, it was felt that further benefit would be added to the Board with an additional representative, Cath Witherington, to be co-opted from the Voluntary and Community Sector ;

·         Ward Member Budgets and how area focus could be more greatly supported;

·         How funding mechanisms may change moving forward;

·         Where the DGTP and Borough Strategy would sit alongside the Health and Well-Being Plan

Members acknowledged there was a lot of work to do moving forward, and a number of discussions would continue outside the remit of the Health and Well Being Board.

            RESOLVED that the presentation be noted.