Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Convener intimated that this meeting of the Board would be recorded and that the recording would be available to watch on the Council's website.

Councillor Campbell declared an interest in item 2 on the agenda as she was an employee of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde but not in the Council's area and intimated that she would remain in the meeting during consideration of the item. 

Councillor McGurk, Convener, presided.

S Black, Chief Executive; S Quinn, Director of Children's Services; M Crearie, Director of Communities, Housing & Planning Services; G McNeil, Director of Environment & Infrastructure; A Russell, Director of Finance & Resources; L McIntyre, Head of Policy & Commissioning, L Mahon, Head of Communications & Marketing and P Fara, Web & Multi-media Editor (all Chief Executive's); J Trainer, Head of Childcare & Criminal Justice and Chief Social Work Officer (Children's Services); O Reid, Head of Communities & Public Protection and C Dalrymple, Communities & Regulatory Manager (both Communities, Housing & Planning Services); K Graham, Head of Corporate Governance, P Murray,  Head of ICT; L Neary, Head of Transformation, HR & OD, M Conaghan, Legal & Democratic Services Manager and L Belshaw, Democratic Services Manager (all Finance & Resources); D Leese, Chief Officer (Renfrewshire Health & Social Care Partnership); V Hollows, Chief Executive (Renfrewshire Leisure); and D Mair, Civil Contingencies Officer, Civil Contingencies Service.

There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Board held on 24 April 2020. 

DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the Council’s current arrangements and response to the ongoing international Coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic.

The report intimated that to reflect changes in the National situation, an update was provided on the numbers of cases and deaths at both Scottish and UK levels, which noted amendments now being made to the recording of deaths at a UK level to include those deaths that occurred in care homes and the wider community as well as in hospitals. The recent publication of updated figures and analysis from the National Records of Scotland was also included.  It was noted that at the date of this report there were 165,221 confirmed cases of COVID – 19 in hospitals in the UK up from 138,078 reported to the Board on 24 April 2020. In Scotland there were now 11,353 confirmed hospital cases, up from 9409 on 24 April 2020. Of these, 2,759 cases were within the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board (GGCHB) area, up from 2,250 on 24 April 2020.  In the GGCHB area there were 548 people in hospital and 43 in intensive care (down from 564 and 49 respectively on 24 April 2020) as either confirmed or suspected cases.  

The report highlighted support for communities, mental health and well-being; provided information in relation to care homes; and up to date figures on the numbers and types of support being provided to some of the most vulnerable residents in Renfrewshire including arrangements being made locally to establish neighbourhood hubs and volunteering.

The report also provided an update on the current position in relation to availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the additional guidance recently provided by the Government in this regard. Information was also included on the extension of employee testing procedures. The report also highlighted the current position in relation to the impact of shielding procedures and absence on the availability of employees.  The report outlined employee redeployments into priority front-line roles.

The report referred to the statement by the Prime Minister on 30 April 2020 which had reinforced the five tests that would need to be complied with before the lockdown would be eased, being: that the NHS was able to cope; that a sustained fall in deaths was observed; that new infections were decreasing to manageable levels; that there was adequate testing and that PPE was in place to meet operational requirements and that there was no risk of a second peak.  It was noted that further information on the plan for easing restrictions of the lockdown was also expected to be set out on 7 May 2020.

The Board then heard from the Chief Executive in relation to the report generally; from the Chief Officer, Renfrewshire Health & Social Care Partnership in relation to care home cases,  on sourcing and stocks of PPE, and mental health and well-being support; from the Head of Policy & Commissioning in relation to volunteering and the recruitment of volunteers to support the neighbourhood hubs; from the Head of Child Care & Criminal Justice (Chief Social Work Officer) on child and adult protection and gender based-based violence; from the DIrector of Finance & Resources on the expansion of testing to a broader range of workers in essential services; and from the Director of Environment & Infrastructure on the national position in relation to civic amenity sites.

Officers responded to members' questions and it was proposed (i) that further information be provided to members in relation to the number of people living within their own homes with suspected or confirmed COVID 19 within the care at home services community; (ii) in relation to mental health and well-being support for shielded residents; and (iii) that a report be submitted to a future meeting of the Board on the emerging financial position of the Council as a result of the impact of COVID 19 on, among other things, the Council's income.  This was agreed.

DECIDED:

(a) That the current national and local situation with regards to COVID-19 and the impact on communities, businesses and the Council and its partners be noted; and

(b) That the response measures being put in place by the Council and partners as set out in this report be noted;

(c) That further information be provided to members in relation to the number of people, within the care at home services community, living within their own homes with suspected or confirmed COVID 19;

(d) That further information be provided to members in relation to mental health and well-being support for shielded residents; and

(e) That a report be submitted to a future meeting of the Board on the emerging financial position of the Council as a result of the impact of COVID 19 on, among other things, the Council's income.

It was noted that there were no items for decision by the Board.

The Convener proposed that as the date of the next scheduled meeting of the Board, Friday 8 May 2020, was a public holiday that the meeting be held at 3 pm on Thursday 7 May 2020. This was agreed.

DECIDED: That the next meeting of the Board be held at 3 pm on Thursday 7 May 2020.

The Board resolved to exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business as it was likely in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that if members of the press and public were present, there could be disclosure to them of confidential information.

The Chief Executive provided a confidential update to members.

DECIDED: That the update be noted.