B&NES councillors will be holding a virtual meeting tomorrow – Tuesday, June 16th – to hear more about how much the coronavirus pandemic has cost the authority.
On a more pleasant note, they will be proposing an official ‘thank you’ – on behalf of all residents – to every person in Bath and North East Somerset who has helped with the response to coronavirus pandemic.
That’s going to include all council staff, NHS staff, health and care workers, key workers, volunteers and all other members of the community who have been involved in the response either professionally or in a personal capacity.
Councillors will also be asked to note a report put – before a scrutiny panel and the Cabinet at the end of May – which sets out how the council continues to protect the most vulnerable, support businesses and maintain local services during the pandemic.
The report highlights the financial impact of coronavirus on the council and the need for additional government funding to address the predicted £43m shortfall for services this year.
The special council meeting takes place at 5pm on Tuesday, June 16 and people can watch on YouTube here https://www.youtube.com/bathnescouncil
Councillor Dine Romero, leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “It has been staggering to witness the unwavering support and dedication from NHS workers, key workers, our own staff and members of the community who have come together to protect and support others during the pandemic. The response has been exceptional and every person involved deserves recognition from the council and the whole community, so I hope the formal vote of thanks is agreed on Tuesday.
“Throughout the pandemic our priority has been to protect vulnerable people and to mitigate the impact of the emergency as much as we can, which we continue to do as we move through the recovery phase and pave the way for a ‘new normal’. We would not be able to do this without the hard work and support of everyone involved.”
Papers for the meeting can be found here https://democracy.bathnes.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=272&MId=5769
