Coming out of coronavirus crisis will be a long haul says Calderdale leader

Leader of Calderdale Council, Coun Tim Swift (Lab, Town) was speaking at Cabinet presenting an overview of the council’s changing responses to the original ten-point plan it set out when the COVID-19 pandemic gathered pace in March.

The report set out some of the issues the council and wider community would have to consider going forward, said Coun Swift.

“It is important people recognise, even if lockdown is eased, some of our regulations are changing and in some places the number of deaths is falling, that we are a long, long away away from returning to anything like normal as it was beforehand.

“As a community, we need to be operating in a different way for some many months and years to come,” he said.

Coun Swift praised staff and volunteers at the council, partner and community organisations, and Cabinet member for Adults, Health and Social Care, Coun Bob Metcalfe (Lab, Town) spoke of the efforts made by the council’s teams to help social care partners and providers.

“A lot of crucial elements have included things like contacting care homes daily to assess their needs, that is crucial, and also weekly updates,” he said.

Coun Metcalfe said the council being able to deploy staff and specific teams to help meet need had been crucial, and its help was well received by care homes and care providers.