The Board is asked to review its meeting frequency going forward in light of the changes in national policy around Covid-19.
Minutes:
Witnesses:
Amelia Christopher - Committee Manager, Surrey County Council
Key points raised in the discussion:
1. The Chairman:
· Noted the move towards business-as-usual concerning Covid-19 as set out in the Government's Living with COVID-19 plan and removal of restrictions.
· Noted that having liaised with the Director of Public Health (SCC), the Chairman suggested that the meeting was to be the last of the Board, to be keep under review as should the need arise the Board could meet either through an extraordinary meeting in private or in accordance with the scheduled public meetings on 16 June, 15 September and 17 November 2022.
· Noted that the meeting invites for those dates would be retained and cancelled if not needed and sought Board members’ views and support for the above position.
· Noted that the above position was in line with that of the Local Government Association’s Local Outbreak Plan Advisory Board which in March decided to transition to businesses-as-usual and would no longer meet regularly.
2. A Board member noted that the position outlined above was a sensible approach as it was the right time to step back and noted that there were mechanisms in place to be able to escalate again and reinstate processes where necessary. He thanked Board members and colleagues for all their work.
- In response, the Chairman welcomed that comment and a comment in the meeting chat supporting the above position and the Board agreed to move forward on that basis.
3. The Chairman:
· Noted that at the last Health and Wellbeing Board on 16 March 2022 an action was agreed that for the Board’s April meeting there would be an agenda item on Lessons Learnt from Covid-19 and outbreak management.
· Explained that the item had been deferred as the Surrey Local Resilience Forum (SLRF) needed to conduct a final review of the lessons learnt throughout the pandemic and that would be undertaken in the next few months and would be received by Board members in due course either via email or at a future meeting where necessary or via the Health and Wellbeing Board.
· Sought Board members’ views and support for the above position; which the Board agreed to.
· Asked whether that document would be available in the public domain.
- In response, the Committee Manager (SCC) explained that she would liaise with the report authors on whether it would be publicly available in light of any sensitive information. She noted that if the report to the Board would be provided offline - privately - she would look to provide a version which could be shared in the public domain via the Board’s update to the Health and Wellbeing Board.
4. The Chairman concluded that as it was to be the Board’s last meeting, she expressed her thanks to all those who had contributed to the Board over the past eighteen to twenty-four months.
RESOLVED:
1. That Board members agreed that April’s meeting was to be the last of the Board, to be keep under review as should the need arise the Board could meet either through an extraordinary meeting in private or in accordance with the scheduled public meetings on 16 June, 15 September and 17 November 2022.
2. That Board members agreed that the report on Lessons Learnt from Covid-19 and outbreak management will be provided in due course following the final review to be conducted by the Surrey Local Resilience Forum (SLRF), to be received either via email or at a future meeting where necessary or via the Health and Wellbeing Board.
Actions/further information to be provided:
1. The Committee Manager (SCC) will ensure that the meeting invites for the scheduled public meetings on 16 June, 15 September and 17 November 2022 of the Board will be retained and cancelled if not needed.
2. The Committee Manager (SCC) will liaise with the report authors on whether the report on Lessons Learnt will be publicly available in light of any sensitive information. If the report to the Board will be provided offline - privately - she will look to provide a version which could be shared in the public domain via the Board’s update to the Health and Wellbeing Board.