Minutes:
The Mayor addressed the meeting in respect of the latest position on the coronavirus pandemic. The country was now 12 days into a new national lockdown. Prior to the new national restrictions, South Yorkshire had been in the highest level of the regional tiered restrictions. There was no doubt that South Yorkshire, alongside much of the North of England was, and very possibly would remain, in an incredibly vulnerable and dangerous position in relation to the spread of the virus. On that basis, it had been agreed with the Government for South Yorkshire to enter into Tier 3. The same considerations of health and wellbeing for the communities would drive any future decisions about how South Yorkshire must respond as the national restrictions were eased in December 2020. These were difficult times for the communities, businesses and the public services across local government, together with social care and the health services.
It was hoped that the restrictions would start to bring down the case numbers and enable matters to resume back to normal as soon as possible. A coronavirus vaccine was now in sight, which for the first time in 2020 was a cause for optimism and hope. It was considered that science, technology and a great mobilisation of the public health system, army and local government would get us through this difficult time. The Mayor considered that it was perhaps now the time for the Government to acknowledge that it was indeed the experts, whether they be the scientists or local government, that they should listen to.
In relation to the coronavirus restriction support, the Mayor stated that setting aside the hope for 2021, focus was being given to the here and now. He was pleased to observe that today’s meeting demonstrated the commitment to deliver real and tangible support to help the economy and weather the shock. This included extending the employment scheme Working Win to support a further 450 people with mental or physical health conditions to stay in or find work until March 2021, to put in place a £30m package of support for businesses that worked with the national support schemes, to support the local councils with financial support to deliver to the communities across South Yorkshire, to continue getting spades in the ground and cranes in the sky with the capital programme and to agree the investment of a further £45m of resources to deliver business support schemes, skills and employment support and a further programme of capital works to enable the economy to move.
The Mayor stated that in relation to the Flood Summit, that whilst COVID-19 had been a focus, the impact on the communities across South Yorkshire following the flooding that had occurred just 12 months ago had not been forgotten. The Government had been pressed hard at the long-awaited Flood Summit, on their commitment to South Yorkshire, and they had subsequently been challenged to match the new commitment of £5.5m to protect 860 homes across South Yorkshire and to help ensure that the transport system was more resilient.
In relation to the Comprehensive Spending Review, the Mayor stated that he had kept up the pressure on the Government to help South Yorkshire build back better with a submission to the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review, whilst pressing the importance of a longer term funding settlement for the region. The Mayor recognised that this was an incredibly busy time for everyone. He believed that this was a moment where the value of the Mayoral Combined Authority was being demonstrated.
The Mayor was grateful to the Local Enterprise Partnership Board Members and all of the business groups that had contributed to the plans, together with the Members of the Mayoral Combined Authority that had worked long days and nights to make all of this happen.