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Subject: |
Approach to Ongoing Personal Protective Equipment Expenditure – Extract from the proceedings of the Policy & Resources Committee meeting held on the 9 July 2020 |
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Date of Meeting: |
23 July 2020 |
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Report of: |
Executive Lead Officer for Strategy, Governance & Law |
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Contact Officer: |
Name: |
Mark Wall |
Tel: |
01273 291006 |
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E-mail: |
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Wards Affected: |
All |
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For General release
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Action Required of Council: To note the item referred for information. |
Brighton & Hove City Council
POLICY & RESOURCES Committee
4.00pm9 JULY 2020
virtual meeting - skype
MINUTES
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Present: Councillors Platts (Chair); Yates (Deputy Chair), Mac Cafferty (Opposition Spokesperson), Bell (Group Spokesperson), Allcock, Clare, Gibson, Hugh-Jones, Miller and Williams. |
PART ONE
18. APPROACH TO ONGOING PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT EXPENDITURE
18.1 The Executive Director for Health & Adult Social Care introduced the report which outlined the Council’s continued provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) both to council services and a range of partner organisations. He noted that the despite provision from the Local Resilience Forum (LRF), the demand on the Council to provide PPE remained significant.
18.2 The Head of Performance, Improvement & Programmes informed the committee that the council had met all the requests to date for PPE and had built-in some contingency and moved storage to the Brighton Centre. She noted that the key challenge was the uncertainty of demand going forward and it was hoped that direct supplies to other organisations from the LRF and the intended clipper service would help to reduce demand on the council. She also stated that officers were working to take into account the issue of single-use plastics and re-useable equipment in terms of procurement and disposal and she hoped to be able to update the committee at its next meeting on how this was being achieved.
18.3 The Chair noted that there was a Green amendment to the recommendation in the report and invited Councillor Clare to move the amendment.
18.4 Councillor Clare moved the amendment on behalf of the Green Group and stated that it was intended to add to the recommendations and she wished to thank the officers for the report and all those involved in sourcing and providing the equipment.
18.5 Councillor Hugh-Jones formally seconded the amendment and queried whether there was any use of recycling schemes that existed in regard to the provision of lap tops to schools. She also asked that consideration be given to ensuring that the sustainability paragraph in reports in general was given greater emphasis.
18.6 The Head of Performance, Improvement & Programmes noted that the provision of lap tops to schools had come direct from government resources and had met the demand. However, should there be further requests and no government provision then alternative sources for provision would be explored.
18.7 Councillor Allcock welcomed the report and stated that the provision of PPE had been a huge success and wished to acknowledge the work and commitment of officers to ensure that all requests were met. He noted that estimated costs for the equipment were reducing and confirmed that the Labour Group were happy to accept the amendment.
18.8 Councillor Bell stated that he wished to add his thanks to officers for their work and noted that there was still a long way to go and continued partnership working would be required.
18.9 The Chair noted the comments and that the amendment had been accepted and therefore put the recommendations as amended to the vote, which was carried.
18.10 RESOLVED:
(1) That the current estimated monthly council expenditure on PPE as outlined in section 3.2 of the report and approach to purchasing and distribution of PPE be noted; and
(2) That in recognition of the increase in single-use plastic waste created by the necessary increase in PPE use, the Committee requests the Executive Director of HASC to:
· further to the council’s agreed Single Use Plastics Policy, work with council procurement teams to explore how the impact of single use plastics can be reduced in relation to PPE;
· work with council services and partner organisations/individuals receiving PPE procured by the council or by the Local Resilience Forum to ensure they have robust arrangements in place for the proper, safe disposal of PPE.