Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Michael Hardware and Russell Perrin.

None.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the previous meeting were agreed.

In response to questions by Councillor Tony Edwards, Councillor Charles said that funding had been allocated for research into the economic and wider impacts of Covid. The West Essex CCG had been working proactively to contact harder to reach groups. This had included getting those who are homeless to get vaccinated and through targeted letters to those who don’t have access to the internet.

Andrew Bramidge, Director of Regeneration and Strategic Growth, gave a presentation on the current Covid-19 position. Case rates and hospitalisations in Harlow were down. This followed the national and regional picture.

Vaccination rates had fallen far behind the national average. This could be due issues with school children getting Covid and not being able to get vaccinated for a 12 week period.

Simon Freeman, Director of Finance and Deputy to the Chief Executive, gave an update on two grant payment streams which had been introduced because of the Omicron variant. The first was aimed at the hospitality sector. The Council had been allocated £520,000 and had paid out £253,000.

The Council had also been given extra ARG grant funding for businesses that didn’t meet the criteria for the hospitality funding.

The process of distribution both grant streams had been going well, although it was not expected that the Council would pay out all of its allocation.

Councillor Charles said that given the Government’s announcement that all restrictions would be lifted at the end of February and the falling Covid infection rates, the Working Group would be passed for the time being.