A strategy for helping Argyll and Bute move on from the impact of COVID-19 has been agreed by the council’s Business Continuity Committee (BCC).
A report to the BCC outlined the ways in which COVID-19 was affecting council services as well as local people and businesses.
Impacts have included stopping face-to-face council services, developing new ways of working, supporting people to access food and medicine, and helping businesses access funding support to save jobs.
As the lockdown now eases, the recovery strategy covers a range of areas:
-
Reinstatement of services;
-
Continued protection of public health, including safe reopening of business and activities;
-
Continued support for vulnerable people in terms of care, medical, treatment and supplies;
-
Economic wellbeing and recovery support for business and communities;
-
Reinstatement of transport networks/services as soon as practicable;
-
Communication about change with the public and council employees;
-
Involvement of communities, voluntary sector/groups and all relevant agencies; and
-
Learning lessons from the response to COVID-19, to identify any opportunities to do things better.
Leader of Argyll and Bute Council, Councillor Aileen Morton said:
“COVID-19 has changed all our lives. Responding to it means different sacrifices, demands and worries for us all. We’ve spent months apart from families and friends, weddings postponed, jobs lost…there are immediate and longer term consequences to deal with.
As restrictions are lifted we must be prepared to act, as circumstances allow, to ensure Argyll and Bute moves on.
The council is already bringing back services as lockdown restrictions are relaxed. We already have a strategy agreed to support the economic health of the area, important for us all.
With this overall recovery strategy also now in place, we are in a good position to draw on national recovery plans as they become available, and work with local and national partners for the benefit of Argyll and Bute.”