Mr Mayor, may I welcome all Members of the first full Council meeting of 2022 and let’s hope this will be a positive and productive year for Council business, despite the significant challenges the country and our residents and businesses face.
I have deliberately kept the statement short as we have a lot of business on the agenda, particularly with motions, which we will need time to debate
Funding Challenges
As we look forward there will be important considerations for the Council to consider in terms of addressing future budget challenges, particularly in view of the Government only providing a one year settlement, which makes it incredibly difficult to budget for key services going forward. These matters can be fully debated in February Budget Scrutiny and Council. Given the level of uncertainty, I have agreement with all political group leaders to delay the publication and consideration of the Medium Term Financial Strategy until early summer 2022.
COVID Recovery
As Members will be aware we have seen significantly high and unprecedented COVID infection levels in the borough, reaching over 2,500 cases per 100,000 in recent weeks. I am pleased to report the trend is currently a downward one, but our rates are still over 900 per 100,000. I am pleased that through our efforts with the NHS and local Clinical Commissioning Group we have seen further vaccination clinics operate at the leisure centre and other local venues. The public response for how we have managed the vaccination programme at the leisure centre has been extremely positive and this is a credit to the staff and volunteers involved.
Business Support Grants
I am pleased to report we launched a further business grant scheme, the ARG Omicron Support Grant Scheme. This will be targeted to hospitality, accommodation providers, tourism and leisure businesses and a range of other venues including theatres, events and gyms. This will be funded from a £204,000 government awarded top up grant.
Events
Work is underway on developing a full events programme for 2022. This will include key popular events such as Proms in the Park, Feast Hinckley and Armed forces celebrations and various other Easter and Summer holiday activities. We saw over 50,000 people engage in our events last year. It is increasingly important that these events support out town centres and attract and retain shoppers to help our businesses recover, who have suffered enormously from the impact of the pandemic.
A key highlight for this year will be special celebrations to honour the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Health and Wellbeing
I am pleased to report officers are in advanced discussions with our health partners in the NHS and CCG, on accommodating some health services within the Hinkley Hub and potentially some other Council venues.
The health and wellbeing of our residents is a top priority. We continue to roll out local health initiatives via a range of local preventative programmes. These include our falls prevention programme called “Steady Steps”, which has seen over 100 patients participate in sessions in the latter part of last year. Our voluntary led walking for health schemes (we currently have 3 across the borough in Burbage, Market Bosworth and Groby) regularly have over 75 residents participating and we have plans to double these walking for health programmes this year. These will help significantly with addressing those adults that are not currently participating in recommended weekly exercise activity in the borough.
Ambion Court - New Sheltered Housing Scheme
At our last meeting of Council I reported on progress that had been made on the successful completion of this fantastic new complex in Market Bosworth. I am pleased to report our first tenant, Jean Collins, moved in on 17 January.
Stuart Bray
Leader of the Council
25 January 2022
Minutes:
In his position statement, the leader referred to:
· Funding challenges and the budget process, thanking officers for their work
· Covid rates which were reducing following a spike in cases
· A new Omicron business support grant that had been launched
· Development of an events programme for 2022 including events to honour the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
· Discussions that were advancing with health partners in relation to accommodating some health services within Hinckley Hub
· The opening of Ambion Court with the first tenant moving in the previous week, for which officers and the Executive member were congratulated.