Agenda item

The Executive Director Core Services will submit, for information, a report submitted to Cabinet on the 16^th December, 2020 on the findings from the Local Government Association (LGA) Recovery and Renewal Panel that took place on the 20^th August, 2020.

The Executive Director Core Services submitted, for information, a report submitted to Cabinet on the 16^th December, 2020 on the findings from the Local Government Association (LGA) Recovery and Renewal Panel that took place on the 20^th August, 2020.

The Executive Director outlined the background to the review and indicated that the findings had been very positive.  The Panel felt that the Authority had shown great leadership in terms of the way it had responded and in particular the way it had demonstrated very clear leadership of Place, the way local businesses had been supported, good communications, the early payment of business grants as well as the proactive advice given through Enterprising Barnsley. 

The Partnership arrangements had also been recognised, particularly the Area Teams as well as the partnership with schools.  It was noted that within Barnsley the approach and relationship with Academy schools was excellent and this had not changed from when they had been local authority schools.

Recognition had also been given to the ‘one Council’ organisational response and the very quick development of smart working plans, IT provision and the rapid movement to virtual council, cabinet and other meetings.  The way that Members and Officers had embraced technology and the wider focus on staff health and well-being was also recognised.

A number of areas had been identified for consideration and these were outlined within the report together with comments, reflections and proposed actions and particular reference was made in this respect to Jobs-led Recovery ambitions, the use of volunteers and the need to be sufficiently prepared for the magnitude of the changes in the retail and office markets.

In the ensuing discussion the following matters were raised:

·         Reference was made to the importance of the use of volunteers and the number that had come forward to assist which was very much welcomed

·         Staff within Enterprising Barnsley were doing a significant amount of work on the numbers of jobs lost and retail businesses that had closed.  This information would be shared once it became available.  It was suggested that some staff currently on furlough may be on ‘deferred redundancy’

·         Strategically in terms of retail and the leisure sectors it was particularly important that the Council became a facilitator to drive improvements forward and questions were asked, therefore, what plans were in place and what organisations would be involved.  The Executive Director stressed that work was currently underway to do just that and had commenced in the Summer.  The Executive Director Place had been working with a number of colleagues including the Chamber of Commerce to ensure that plans were in place and to pre-empt some of the challenges that were likely to be faced.  It was also pointed out that the Place Directorate had commissioned various pieces of work looking at the forecasting and trends for both Barnsley Town Centre and for all the principal towns in the Borough.  This would ensure that the economic impact of the pandemic was minimised

Written responses to questions asked by Members of the Committee were provided as follows:

·         It was noted that the Council had engaged the Local Government Association to undertake the review in order to ensure the approach the Council was taking was as effective as it could be

·         It was acknowledged that this was an excellent report that gave assurance that the Council was being proactive in its response to the pandemic and, as stated earlier, the partnership and liaison arrangements and with academy schools was excellent

·         A strategy for the use of vacant retail and commercial properties in the Town Centre was currently being developed and could be brought to a future meeting

RESOLVED  that the report be received.