Agenda and minutes

The Chair introduced Members and officers to the meeting

Councillor Klute and Councillor Khondoker for lateness

Councillor Khurana stated that she was substituting for Councillor Klute

If you have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest* in an item of business:

§  if it is not yet on the council’s register, you must declare both the existence and details of it at the start of the meeting or when it becomes apparent;

§  you may choose to declare a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest that is already in the register in the interests of openness and transparency. 

In both the above cases, you must leave the room without participating in discussion of the item.

If you have a personal interest in an item of business and you intend to speak or vote on the item you must declare both the existence and details of it at the start of the meeting or when it becomes apparent but you may participate in the discussion and vote on the item.

*(a)Employment, etc - Any employment, office, trade, profession or vocation carried on for profit or gain.

 (b)Sponsorship - Any payment or other financial benefit in respect of your expenses in carrying out

  duties as a member, or of your election; including from a trade union.

 (c)Contracts - Any current contract for goods, services or works, between you or your partner (or a body

 in which one of you has a beneficial interest) and the council.

 (d)Land - Any beneficial interest in land which is within the council’s area.

 (e)Licences- Any licence to occupy land in the council’s area for a month or longer.

 (f)Corporate tenancies - Any tenancy between the council and a body in which you or your partner have

  a beneficial interest.

 (g)Securities - Any beneficial interest in securities of a body which has a place of business or land in the council’s area, if the total nominal value of the securities exceeds £25,000 or one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that body or of any one class of its issued share capital. 

This applies to all members present at the meeting.

None

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 4 March 2021 be confirmed and the Chair be authorised to sign them

None

For members of the public to ask questions relating to any subject on the meeting agenda under Procedure Rule 70.5. Alternatively, the Chair may opt to accept questions from the public during the discussion on each agenda item.

The Chair outlined the procedure for Public questions

Councillor Nurullah Turan, Executive Member Health and Social Care was present for this item and during discussion the following main points were made –

·         Noted COVID progress and that the Annual Adult Safeguarding report had been considered

·         Work taking place with educational institutions in relation to increase in neglect, domestic violence, substance misuse, gangs/criminal exploitation and local priorities were being adjusted in response to COVID

·         Noted that Healthwatch had suspended services at the start of the pandemic however it was intended to recommence these in May

·         NCL looking at the indirect effects of COVID on issues such as air quality,  mental health, social isolation etc.

·         In response to a question it was stated that waiting lists for NHS treatment were a concern, as were the number of new variants of COVID

The Chair thanked Councillor Turan for his presentation

Councillor Sue Lukes, Executive Member Community Safety and Pandemic response was present and accompanied by Jonathan O’Sullivan, Acting Director of Public Health. A presentation was made, and outlined to the Committee, copy interleaved

During consideration of the report the following main points were made –

·         Reduction in case rates are slowing down and has levelled out over the last few weeks, however in the last week there had been a further reduction and there had been 40 positive cases the lowest since September. In the over 60 age group there were only 2/3 infections per week at present

·         Number of infections decreased in 5-10 year olds but have increased slightly for 11-24 year olds

·         Testing – rates of symptomatic testing are slightly decreasing and positivity rates have also decreased and is now 1.1%

·         PCR testing rates are highest amongst the most deprived areas of Islington and in the school population and the positive rate is extremely low

·         Second wave of mortality due to COVID 19 is showing signs of slowing down and the latest week of deaths from all causes shows overall numbers are similar to the average of 2015-2019 deaths. Noted that there had been no deaths from COVID the previous week

·         Noted 50000 residents had now had their first vaccination and in the over 70 age group this was 83%

·         There are still differences in vaccination take up in certain BAME communities and a number of pop up centres had been utilised and this would continue

·         Noted that a shopping centre campaign had been launched with shopkeepers to assist people in keeping safe, and shops are being encouraged to sign up to COVID safe premises

·         In response to a question it was stated employers were also being encouraged to let staff get tested and vaccinated in work time

·         A Member stated that she had heard that some Council staff were being told to get vaccinated or tested before or after work and Councillor Lukes stated that this should not be the case and that she would investigate this

·         Vaccinations – noted that there has been a difficulty with supply and these had been erratic at times. Noted that if there are difficulties with getting an appointment for a vaccination We are Islington can assist and communication in different languages was taking place

·         Concern was expressed that some restaurants did not appear to be operating social distancing and it was stated that if there were instances of this they should be notified so that action can be taken

·         In response to a question as to disabled people not being assisted properly at vaccination centres on some occasions it was stated that volunteers are trained however Councillor Lukes stated that she would look into this and ensure appropriate measures were investigated to assist disabled residents, such as GP appointments, signage etc.

·         In response to a question it was stated that a number of options for pop up vaccination centres were being looked at, such as vaccine buses and Members would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 242.

The Chair stated that amendments were being made to the report and therefore this would not be considered that evening

RESOLVED:

That consideration of the report be deferred to the next meeting of the Committee

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted