BCP Council, England Our BCP Council Live Q&A's, 2 Dec 2020

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From YouTube: BCP Council - Facebook Live Q&A with Cllr Drew Mellor

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BCP Council Leader Drew Mellor answers your questions. Tune in at 1:00pm noon every Wednesday/Thursday on our Facebook page for the Live Q&A.

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Good afternoon and welcome to today's facebook live session, uh this session is a a covered special, so very, very much looking forward to answering some questions on that. As we move out of um the lockdown, um I was supposed to be joined by my colleague, nicola green councilman, nicola green, but she's been unavoidably and detained in another meeting. So very happy. It's just me. So um look forward to your questions. We've got um the comments bar, which would be really useful.

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If people could uh people could use that and I'll try and get through as many many as possible uh before we start on the questions. I'll just give a give a brief update. You know, as we've uh effectively ended and left uh the four-week lockdown measures.

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Government voted last night and effectively we're now in um level level tier two, which is high alert here. So there are three tiers and one is medium. You know, and tiers two's high and in three is the most extreme restrictions.

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What that effectively means uh for us is, we can meet it outside in the rule of six, but um if we want to meet anywhere indoors, that has to be in our own um household or support bubble.

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I'll just give a quick update in terms of some of the some of the numbers um we we were up at uh case rates of 240 per hundred thousand, which was um and pushing upwards to 250., and our latest, as of as of monday, was 94. So we're very much you know bringing that down now, so the lockdown has, you know, effectively worked in terms of the numbers we were. um We, you know in terms of bring those under control um they're, not the only determinant of when we go up and down in stages.

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So, what's really crucial is the the number of people in the over 60s um camp who what that number is, and our number on monday for over 60s was was 81, which again we're really pleased to see uh below our below our number.

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So we're still now con considerably below the the england average and uh really pleased to see the numbers going in the right direction that the last major determinant for us in terms of moving up and down in tears is the pressure on nhs and technically, the southwest has a smaller nhs capacity, so so that is actually still a really important factor for us as we as we move forward.

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Okay, I've got some questions coming in now, which is which is great, so um yeah rachel sites has asked a question in terms of the discretionary growth uh discretionary grant process, and you know how long the time time's going to be so rachel. Thank you very much for for that.

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um What we've done with the discretionary grant piece is we split it into three chunks, so uh the first um part of that is up and running um over seven hundred thousand pounds went out in the in the first week of uh week of that and that's for people who um you know effectively weren't able to get in the lrsg, the local recovery support um grant, and so these are people who didn't have rateable properties and and they're all able to access that money now, which, hopefully is, is getting to the people that needs it.

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What we've done, what we're doing is putting two up two further streams. One will be uh which we'll be announcing the details of next week, so the the second uh phase, and that would be for people um particularly like you know, nighttime economy. You know the the businesses that um have been particularly affected, and one thing we've said is just because you've been able to access the lrsg part.

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You know, which is if you've got a relatable property um you'll, also be able to access accesses, and then the third tranche which we'll be bringing forward a little bit later, is effectively how we can sort of energize some some businesses a bit more a bit more specifically um more details of that coming soon. So rachel direct answers. Your question: um this is the money we've got until march. Effectively we've been given until until march, we're trying to get it all out the door as quickly as possible and local recovery support grant is available.

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Now, the first tier of the additional um grant is a tranche of that is available now, and we've been announcing. The the second tranche and next week, with the third tranche coming soon soon after that uh michaela has talked about, um uh expect us to go straight into tier three and just to be really clear.

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We we're not going into tier three we're in we're in tier two, um so there's uh yeah, we there's a lot of uh thought, and I know many of our mps were were very keen for us to be in tier one. um Tier two is a difficult place to be for industries like hospitality, so so you know, and we've got a very hospitality dependent.

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You know economy, you know in uh here, so we're really really keen that when the uh next um tears get announced effectively, which is every 14 days so on the 16th of december, we will have the opportunity to go well. Everybody will have the opportunity to go up and down up and down and here so what we're making representation to in in government and what our mps are doing is trying to really understand the criteria of when we can go. um You know, go go down here so we're currently in tier two.

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Our numbers are very much going uh in in the right direction, because we've all been doing what we should be doing, which is great if they carry on going in that direction. We're hopeful that we can um get to tier two uh sorry tier one soon, but there's no there's. No! um uh We we can't confirm if that's gonna, be the case.

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Matthew john has asked a question about um mass vaccination. Centers in bournemouth and yeah very pleased to announce. We will be having a map with the region's um mass vaccination center in bournemouth. It's going to be at the bic so uh and we're delighted today as well matthew. I think most people have heard that the pfizer the american vaccine has now been approved in the uk, so we're the first country in the world that actually has one of those vaccines approved to go out. I know vaccinations will be starting starting next week.

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uh You mentioned matthew. You've mentioned the mass vaccination center, which is it's hugely crucial. This is an absolutely humongous logistical challenge which would be driven through our health partners, primarily supported by supported by the army and and also the local gp practices. So mass vaccination center in in the big there will be mobile centers across across dorset and significant amounts will be going out through uh through gp practices as well so um and that will start as early as next week.

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The first people likely to receive the vaccine are going to be is nhs and nhs patients, partly due to the fact that the vaccine that we can use at the moment for one that has been approved, needs to be held in very, very low temperatures. So those settings are more able to to deliver it immediately. After that, the next rollout will be um uh people 80 and over then it's uh then it goes.

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It goes down in terms of age and there's a point in there before it goes below anybody's 60, when it's the people who are clinically extremely vulnerable. So that's a new, relatively new term, clinically extremely vulnerable. It basically means if you were shielding before so it's very much. The vaccine will be very much targeted towards people who are most likely to be affected, which is based on age and clinically extremely extremely vulnerable, yeah, so david's dave hayward. I was asked about that.

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So, in terms of you know, how are we preparing for rollout of a vaccine just to be clear? It's health-led, so we're working very clearly um with our with our health partners, but that is health-led. We've been involved in the discussions around around the back in the pavilion, but it's a it's a health-led roll-out program: okay, let's just scroll through to see if I um can see some other questions, yeah um brian, your bets has asked a question about: how optimistic are we about um moving into tier 1 on the 16th?

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Are we on track for this? I think one of the really important parts of the political dialogue in the last week has been mps saying. Well, actually you need to be clearer with us government in terms of what other criteria you know, what are criteria for moving up and down, so we've had commitments very recently, but we will see more more criteria and be more um transparent.

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My understanding is that the the government aren't saying this is something where people will be moving quickly between tears. But that said, um our rates have gone down really dramatically. You know so it's well under 100 now, so I think we can start to make a really strong case that we can. We can be in tier. We can be in tier one. So we're you know, bluntly um bryony we're pushing for it. I know most of our mps are pushing for it in that dialogue and in and we will be uh liaising to get there.

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I I I'm not optimistic. I don't know um whether we'll be able to do that on the 16th. uh I think it would be you know advantageous for us and we can manage it in a way. That's safe enough. We've proven that okay, um so yeah nick nick vinamore's asked a question around food for child school holidays for christmas. I think this is really really important question effectively. Nick.

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So what we did in terms of the the half earned piece, we stood up at really short notice, a scheme which was great so we're really pleased to be able to do it. We made a commitment, but that no child that needed food in half term would go hungry and we we put out you know uh you know thousands of support on that which was great. We've got now. The government have announced longer term money for effectively for the rest of the school year.

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Here we're in a better position to to plan effectively around around that. So a lot more information will be. Will be coming out about that, but there is a clear commitment now to provide food for children over for christmas holidays and the uh half times the holidays as we go forward, okay, I'll scroll through and see. If I can get some extra questions, uh paul draper's asked a question around the second or third tranche of covid business grants. Will it be available to limited companies without relatable premises?

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Yes effectively paul, so the just be really clear.

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So the the first tranche is for people without properties that doesn't mean um that people that some people who don't have properties won't be uh applicable to the the second or third tranche more detail is coming out of that we've said, we've said people can definitely get lrsg and this this uh the the tranche money, we're trying to make we're in a fortune more fortunate position than we were at the start of this, because we've got much better information around the people who fell through the cracks last time and also a lot more businesses have been able to stay open.

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um I think dentist was the example I used last time. So dentists are open here. A significant proportion of a discretionary grant went to dentist la you know: businesses like that last time, so we're able to support more people and paul. You know please look out for the information as it's coming out or contact your your local councillor or indeed myself. We will get that information information too uh yeah. Just a general question. We've got a uh somebody just mentioned about the camera being too high so effectively.

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You know, we've got the camera on the uh that the surface pro we're doing here, so it can't be moved uh effectively. I hope you can um just see enough of us out above me and and hear me, so thank you, okay, right I'll scroll down through. So if I can answer some different questions here,.

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Fine yeah, okay, I've got a really important question uh relating to the hotel industry and what are our plans for tourism um as hotel industries is suffering big time um due to coverage 919.. So thank you very much for that question and and really important point. So we are. um We held a meeting last week of industry industry leaders in and around our hospitality, sex hospitality and tourism sector.

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We we now believe that, because of the um vaccines will be available and the fact that um the vaccines are going to take a significant time to roll out, but um the the the virus doesn't do as well in the summer. So materially, we believe by the start of the season. You know by the start of the season you know coming so you know may june time we should be in a really strong place to be bold and confident.

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So the people that are most vulnerable will have received a vaccine um there'd be a roll-up program for for other people. So it's incumbent on us now as an authority and as a destination, to be really ready and be confident and push it. um You know say we're open for business and make sure we're um uh being very positive about that. So a couple of things we're doing um we're looking at how we can just in terms of a seafront. You know what else we can do there.

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So what else we can point towards to see from what other services we can go on there and to to to get a better, offering we're looking at the transport so how we can move people around um last last year. We want people to be coming to our our destinations on our beaches and our uh our premises, but we want them to be able to be their moods around properly and without causing a massive um difficulty for everybody else.

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So so they're coming, you know, schemes we're bringing forward schemes and look forward to bring them soon. Key to this is going to be a really revitalized events calendar, so our commitment, for instance, to to things like the air festival. So we've got a permanent commitment to the air festival we'll be bringing that forward uh in the first instance we're bringing forward a three-year commitment to the air festival, but we also need to bring up many more events, so, arts by the sea, we want to try and extend it.

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You know we want to make sure um we've got as many events as we can to really support. You know to bring people here and support um our hospitality sector which dramatically needs it. Okay, let's have a look for some more questions.

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Yeah, okay, okay, jason bonner, interesting question and not specifically um uh covered related, which is great. So just as a general point, please, you know, uh ask other questions outside of covey, I'm really happy to answer them um and the next session. In two weeks time uh it will be a a general session. uh Jason's question is around electric scooters. So what's what's our view on electric scooters, uh they're being used everywhere, but police say that they're all illegal, so trials jason.

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There are some areas that are allowed to have trials and what we're doing is uh supporting our. What we're looking to do is to support our um barrel bike effectively uh partner into trialing e-scooters. So um we will see some e-scooters um you know in in our localities soon uh and that's what we're gonna we're gonna. You know test and see how it goes effectively. um I think one of the things we do need to do to we're one of the most congested areas of the country in terms of our road network.

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So we need to find other ways, particularly in the last mile. You know you can get to a bus somewhere, you can get a train somewhere, but then it's getting that last mile and e-scooters might be a a way of doing it. So I appreciate that controversial, but it's something we're we're committed to committed to trialing.

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Okay, fine, so I've got a question about care, home care, home visits and mental mental health, and I think this is a really important point and something that is is changing uh effectively um uh uh than we we knew before and certainly in the summer, so care home visits are going to be allowed. There's going to be a set of circumstances um where care home visits will be allowed, and that is I'm so pleased because it's you know it's one of the most emotional things we've seen.

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I'm sure a lot of us have seen it when people in care homes have been deprived from their families, and you know the the mental health impact of that is absolutely massive on both the people in the care, homes and and the families that want to be want to be, you know, engaging with them and supporting them so care.

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Hopefully this are going to start being allowed, but it's going to be based on on having a having tests so um and there'll be liaise through through the um through the the care system and the care homes themselves.

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So I you know, I don't have the exact date when when they will be allowed, but that program will be rolled out soon so um really soon and by certainly by christmas, people will be able to go and see loved ones in in care homes in an organized way and we're trying to make sure we get a press release out about the detail behind that and what we're doing as a council operator of care homes as soon as possible.

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Okay, I look forward to some other.

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Questions yeah rob hughes has asked a question about the the art strategy um and you know how it's working. What's changing, uh I I haven't got a specific answer, but I can talk generally so one of the things we did last week. We brought forward a range of council champions in in various areas and was really pleased to bring forward councillor lawrence williams, uh as our arts champion so launch. Realism is on the arts, council and he's been a really prominent supporter of the arts.

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So we're going to be looking to see how we can develop further art strategy alongside the portfolio holder for culture which is mohan oyenga so- and I mentioned it earlier- rob when I was talking about what we're planning with our tourism offer.

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So you know one of the things we're going to try and do is extend what was really popular festival around the arts by the sea and we're very interested in engaging across the whole cultural spectrum, but particularly in and around in and around the arts. um You, I think, you're more specifically asking about um you, know, performance, artists and and how we're going to be supporting them. Two.

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Two ways I think um you know we have made it possible for people who don't have regular premises to to be able to get some discretionary grants, but I think, what's really fundamental is what we're going to do next year to really kick start our economy and make it a really vibrant place to be for for the next. So if we can act, you know if we can put a lot of events on and support um the wider economy in in that way.

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That should be really positive in in terms of um in terms of the arts.

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Okay, yeah we've got an interesting question from from zoe teams about the um about navajo swim farm, which you know so I think the government have been really clear and in its sort of green economic uh revolution um and it's you know, the conservative government are really committed to looking at energy, and uh you know climate production in in general, which we're really pleased um to to see so as though just you know as you're probably well aware, this council has signed up to a climate, an ecological emergency and there's a real commitment.

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You know across the board. uh It was nearly unanimous of of council and all of the conservative members supported it. So that's a that's a commitment you know from us specifically in terms of uh wind energy, uh they're, you, you know, we don't have any schemes in front of us at the moment, so you know narratives per se. You know there are issues with it in terms of it, its location.

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If different schemes come forward with different, um um you know um pieces around in terms of work where they are. We certainly look at them. I think it's widely acknowledged across the dorset local economic partnership, but we need to come up with an energy solution. You know endorse it. We we import a significant amount of energy uh lots of ways to do that and whether it's you know solar farms and hydrogen. You know we look at it another less.

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Looking uh a hydrogen solution and wind energy, you know possible as well so so we will see um things as they come forward, um but they're going to have to work for our locality, the gas to be in the right place. So you have to you know, be the right and financial benefit, as well as being an environmental um benefit. Elizabeth elizabeth and mars has asked a question around um after the christmas reprieve. Will restaurants and and shots be open elizabeth thanks for reminding me that's uh effectively.

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Let me just quickly uh talk about the christmas reprieve so and we're clear on what that is uh from the uh I think. It's the 23rd to the 27th um we're allowed to mix with three other households indoors, and what that is. Is we it's exclusive, so you can't then go and mix with.

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You know three, two other households on one day and then a different household the next day, so for that four day period and we're allowed to mix with up to three three households um and that's what elizabeth is quite rightly calling the christmas reprieve, the the question elizabeth asks is: will restaurants and shops be open after that so uh effectively? If that will depend on what happens on the 16th of december?

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So, if we're in on the 16th of december, when the government reviews um the current uh numbers in terms of the tier system, um we will either you know it would be nearly impossible to foresee a scenario where we'll be moving up a tier up into tier three, where our numbers are going down so so greatly, so we'll either be in tier two or we'll be moving to tier one. So in tier two um restaurants and shops are open. um So so yes, restaurants and shops will remain open.

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You know after the christmas reprieve, but it depends in terms of whether you'll be able to mix with people outside of your household in them. So elizabeth, we will see um we're pushing to be in in tier one, um but that depends on ultimately the government made that decision. um Okay. So let me see.

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Brilliant I'm gonna skip over the v1 talking about blowing up the twin sales bridge, probably probably not necessary for me to answer and answer answer that: okay, yeah fine, jamie ross, really important uh question um in terms of what help will bcp give to um the homeless this christmas and um and in terms of the vaccine as as well. So thanks jeremy, I really appreciate uh the question I'll just take a step back on it. uh If I may so, it's got a slightly wider response to homelessness.

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This government has committed to ending effectively ending homelessness by uh by the end of his parliament so, and this council has done some exemplary work in terms of our support of you, know, homeless. You know throughout the pandemic, so we've had the minister down here. uh Looking at what we've been doing, because it's been some some exemplary work there and we're really really pleased with uh what we've been able to do.

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Initially, we had to be, it was called the everyone in so uh the government gave us funding to secure accommodation for for everybody who was homeless so uh and and what we've done is we've brought forward a lead member for homelessness. So we're desperately trying to um you know tackle the problem long term, but also make sure that the benefits we've been able to do around the the everyone in campaign we're making the most of them uh jamie.

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Just as a general point, one of the things we brought forward in our 100-day plan as a new administration was, is effectively a commitment to um invest some extra extra money in that one example of that is you know that we're bringing forward lockers, uh where we hope to bring forward lockers and investments so in terms of people can um actually have their their.

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um uh You know clothes effectively, you know and they can put them in somewhere safe, so they don't have to um you know either leave them or carry them around. Our ambition is much wider than that. We're really glad it's a start. It's something it's slightly more humane, but we've got to be more ambitious. We've got to bring people, you know in finding accommodation and then support them, get the services around and we're really committed to doing that. So so, yes, there is extra support at christmas.

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A lot of that's done through through our charity partners, um which we're very thankful for, but it's our approach that is actually bigger than that. We actually want to end homelessness um and we believe that anybody who wants to uh engage with us or will engage with us. We will find accommodation for so, hopefully that's a sort of a bit of a bolder answer than just what we're going to do for christmas.

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Yeah, okay, thomas, where you've asked the question relating to to send so special education uh need um particularly important for me to answer answer that question. uh Now uh some people might have seen we we had a a recent ofsted um visit, which said we had some. You know serious issues in terms of our our children's services, um which is is a place we absolutely you know.

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No council wants to be so I just you know I I won't answer specifically on your case, but if you would like to if you'd like to contact me I'll, be I'm very much happy to to to look into it. I I just want to take the opportunity to underline um our absolute. The number one priority in this um for this administration at the moment is improvement in terms of children's services.

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So we've got a new director of um uh director of children's services, a huge experienced woman, and we will be you know, putting everything we can in extra investment into children's services generally, which does include uh improvements in stem. uh We're really committed to to. You know getting a good ofsted rating uh as as soon as as soon as we can. I'd also like to say um appreciate the the wider political um dialogue we've been having with with other groups. This is something you know all group leaders have decided. You know our our children.

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It's certainly not something it's a political uh football, so the entire council or all 74 councillors will be uh working on on that together. So we're we're. We think I'm actually looking at it as an opportunity. You know, we've got an opportunity to now get to a good and understanding and provision of children's care, and we will be absolutely committed to that. So we've got our next budget um coming out uh effectively in february and there's going to be significant investment in in children and and sen care care in that.

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But in terms of your specific question, thomas, this isn't environment for it. But please um uh do you know my name's drew mellor. My my details are on the council's um pages, so please email me and we will we'll look into it. Okay, fine!

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Let me just look through: we've got a got three three minutes left, so I'm going to try and find a couple of other questions just to we've gone through the the tiering system, and you know the council's response to it and when that's going to be reviewed, we've talked about the vaccine. I'll just see. If I can find some other questions.

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Okay, leslie's asked that leslie's asked about again it's about the vaccine so um and uh the specific question is as a carer for a family member in a different home. Will I get access to the vaccine so uh leslie? I think the government's been really really clear. We will publish it on our channels as well um the the how the vaccine is going to be put out.

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First of all, it's going to be um nhs staff and people in in hospitals, so verbal first and then it's going to be done by age um and then it's going to be people who are clinically extremely vulnerable. So it will depend in terms of you know, as if you're, an independent carer or if you're an nhs carer, it may well be um be different, but other than that, I believe you. You will actually be judged in terms of your own um uh criteria, ie, so your your age or whether you're clinically extremely vulnerable.

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Okay, fine, let's see if I can find one or two more.

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Questions right will we be heading for another lockdown after christmas? um uh If so, how does this affect schools? um Thank you, michaela um really. You know, I think it's worth spending some time on that, so the government have been really clear wherever we get to from from here, um schools need to stay open. You know uh we we, you know the particularly the gap of our disadvantage. Our more disadvantaged children um when they're away from schools is something that is, is absolutely unpalatable and there's a real commitment.

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So you know put on record my absolute thanks for our you know, key workers in our schools who are keeping these schools open. um I think they're doing an absolutely sterling job in a really difficult environment, and so thank you to everybody in the school communities who are doing that so to be really clear.

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My understanding is that there will be no impact on schools if we hadn't. If we had another lockdown, how do we not have another lockdown?

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Well, I think there's some should be some real positivity around the fact that today's the first day, we can have a vaccine, but that does take us um uh through through the rest of the winter before that effectively effectively land. So um you know, one of the main points of difficulty for us and in terms of the criteria of moving up and down tears is around the pressure on the nhs.

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The nhs is busiest in the first two weeks of january, so you know, what's really really important is if we can get the nhs into a position and our capacity in nhs that we can actually get through the normal winter piece without having uh you know it extended the the the covered, um the code of dependency. So it's to be really interesting to see what happens in and around in around that we need to follow these rules really really seriously. We need to take it really seriously.

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We need to you know, I think it's really important to to just flag as well. Michaela. um We've got some great news today with a vaccine and it starts us being able to be really positive and confident, but it's as a nation we're not going to get that program rolled out and fully you know until the early part of the summer. So this is a this is something we're all going to have to take really really seriously between now and and next summer.

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So you know, all I can say is you know we're going to do everything we can locally um to support people not having another lockdown? I believe the tier systems are here to stay. I believe that should manage it. You know in between between now and now in the summer, there's really good evidence that if you're in tier three um cases start to fall, um if you're in tier two, you know they stay relatively similar, it's similar and in tier one they can, they can increase.

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We've got evidence now, so we shouldn't need another lockdown, because we can move people up and down through through through the tears um okay. So sorry, I did apologize. I've gone over time, so it's just gone half past one, and what we're trying to do here as well is we'll answer some of the questions um you know on online. So if questions I haven't got through this, there's quite a lot, we'll we'll answer them online.

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uh If anybody would like any further, you know please, and please call me or or speak to me uh through email and we'll get answers to you. So all I can say is um thank you ever so much for the engagement here today really appreciated um some excellent questions um and uh you know very glad to be to be doing these sessions.

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The next of these sessions will be in in two weeks time, um so we will have the information about what tier we're going to be in for for the the next two week period uh at that point, so I look forward to very much seeing as many of you as possible uh in in two weeks. Thank you very much for engagement. Thank you, for you know all of your support.

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You know in terms of observing the conditions here uh of what we need to do relating to the cavity situation, and I hope everyone has a safe, happy and well fortnight. Thank you very much. Bye-Bye.