19 ENVIRONMENT TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE DIRECTORATE RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS PDF 80 KB
Purpose of report:
To provide the Committee with
an update and overview of the activity of the Environment Transport
and Infrastructure (ETI) Directorate in providing services over the
period of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the latest efforts to
recover services to a new normal.
Minutes:
Witnesses:
Denise Turner Stewart, Cabinet
Member for Communities
Natalie Bramhall, Cabinet
Member for Environment and Climate Change
Matt Furniss, Cabinet Member
for Transport
Katie Stewart, Executive
Director – Environment, Transport and
Infrastructure
Key
points raised during the discussion:
-
The Cabinet Member for Communities provided an
overview of the work of the Environment Transport and
Infrastructure (ETI) Directorate during COVID-19. An International
Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) accreditation approach was
being undertaken and a new Director of Resilience would add
additional capacity to the service. The Cabinet Member relayed how
the relationship with funeral directors had been crucial throughout
this period in enabling the death management approach to run
smoothly. Protecting the workforce and preparing staff return to
work was being undertaken, with the help from the health and safety
team, whilst the support for armed forces personnel had continued
and new grants awarded for the veteran’s hub.
-
With regard to the Coroners Service, the Cabinet
Member reported that there had been a significant reduction in
waiting times for post-mortems, with a marked improvement in
systems and processes. Hearings had continued with remote access
enabled for the public.
-
Simultaneously, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service
(SFRS) had continued to respond to all emergencies whilst
developing the community protection offer. SFRS was one of the
first services to access key worker testing and the council was
supporting the National Fire Chiefs
Council in lessons learned with partner fire and rescue
services. The Community Protection Group had advanced on its
transformation programme – building back services and acting
as a key component in the COVID-19 response. The Community Safety
Team had been working to support domestic abuse provision and a new
refuge had been established.
-
The Chairman referred to the government’s
active travel grants querying the status of the council’s
bids. The Cabinet Member stated that, in total, the government had
allocated £8.5m to Surrey and the council had applied for the
first tranche of this to be granted as revenue funding. The
majority of this funding would go on measures already being
installed in Farnham, Reigate & Banstead and Mole Valley. The
focus would largely be on unpedestrianised retail areas. These
pilots would develop the template for the rest of the county, and
it was anticipated that the second tranche of funding would be
received in the summer. A newly appointed officer had increased the
capacity of the team for project development.
-
The Chairman asked whether Members and residents
could be involved in the process prior to the submission of bids.
The Cabinet Member responded that a new virtual map on where
residents could mark and nominate areas for improvement was due to
be launched and would help prioritisation. The Cabinet Member
assured the Committee that Members would be included in any
consultations taking place in their area, and urged Members to
think how walking, cycling and bus routes could be improved in
their area.
-
The Chairman raised pressures on bus operators due
to the declining bus usage during lockdown. This conflicted with
both the ...
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