Report to:	Leader and Lead Member for Strategic Management and Economic Development
Date:	13 July 2021
By:	Assistant Chief Executive
Title:	Coronavirus (Covid-19) contingency arrangements
Purpose:	To review temporary measures in relation to executive decisions agreed by the Leader of the Council in April 2020 as a result of Covid-19 disruption.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Leader is recommended to:

1)  agree to the continuation of the delegation of authority to the Chief Executive to take any executive decision which she considers appropriate in response to Covid-19; and

2) review the delegation in January 2022 or as soon as practicable thereafter.

1.         Background

1.1 In April 2020 the Leader of the Council agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Executive to take any executive decision which she considers appropriate in response to the outbreak of Covid-19 and that this delegation be reviewed in October 2020.  An extension was agreed at the October review, with a requirement that the delegation be reviewed again in July 2021.   

2.         Supporting Information

2.1 The ongoing presence of the Covid-19 virus both nationally and internationally continues to cause disruption to a range of business and social activity.

2.2 Although the lifting of remaining national restrictions is now planned for 19 July 2021, the ongoing course of the pandemic remains difficult to predict. There remains a risk of further waves of Covid-19 and it is possible that any future spikes in the virus could necessitate a rapid response. The recent postponement of the planned end of national restrictions demonstrates that the situation continues to evolve in light of the emergence of new variants of the virus.

2.3 Although arrangements are in place for Lead Member decisions to be taken virtually it may, in certain situations, not be possible or prudent to wait for the Lead Member to take decisions at a formal meeting. It is therefore proposed that the delegation previously agreed by the Leader be extended for a further six months, to January 2022, to ensure that provision continues to be in place to provide for essential urgent executive decisions to be taken in response to Covid-19.

3.         Conclusion and reasons for recommendations

3.1       To ensure that provision continues to be in place to provide for executive decisions to be taken in response to Covid-19 the Leader is recommended to agree to the continuation of the delegation of authority to the Chief Executive to take any executive decision which she considers appropriate in response to Covid-19 and that this delegation be reviewed in January 2022, or as soon as practicable thereafter.

PHILIP BAKER

Assistant Chief Executive

Contact Officer: Claire Lee

Tel:      07523 930526

Email:  Claire.lee@eastsussex.gov.uk          

LOCAL MEMBERS: All

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS

Report to the Leader and Lead Member for Strategic Management and Economic Development – 2 April 2020

Report to the Leader and Lead Member for Strategic Management and Economic Development – 29 October 2020