Coronavirus: Antrim and Newtownabbey critical services prioritised

Bin collections, burials and registration and environmental services will take place as normal and recycling centres, parks, playgrounds and community centres will remain open.

Leisure centres, theatres and visitor attractions in the borough are now closed to the public.  All upcoming events have been postponed.

A meeting of the council’s Audit Committee, at Antrim Civic Centre on Wednesday evening, was told elected representatives will continue to meet to deal with essential items although these may take place “remotely”.

Councillors heard it will be “business as usual” at civic centres although this “may change as things unfold”.

The local authority says it intends to pay all suppliers quickly to ensure continuity of payment despite an anticipated drop in income and expected costs.

Customers who have made theatre or conference bookings will be refunded.

In addition, the local authority has decided to award a sum of between £3,000 and £5,000 to support Good Morning Newtownabbey in a bid to ensure it has “the facilities needed within their communities” to provide support to elderly and vulnerable residents during the Covid-19 outbreak.

The council officer also spoke of creating “community support services” such as food banks at local authority facilities.

She also indicated that staff may be deployed to cleaning or “community duties” and “will consider use of retired workers if required”.

“We will redeploy non-critical staff and re-train those people to support critical services.”

She stressed that the council will “prioritise essential services”.

Whilst community centres and pavilions remain open, the local authority stated that these are being deep-cleaned.

“We will re-purpose non-critical facilities if the community needs those buildings for other things. We will make sure we have deep cleaning as required.”

She also spoke of the possibility of getting coronavirus test kits for an emergency team.

“If we can test people more quickly, if they do not test positive , they can still be in work and contribute to the delivery of services. It is a fluid and rapidly evolving situation.

“We will consider the implication of a lockdown scenario and what that will mean as an organisation. We hope to try to reduce impact.”

Glengormley Sinn Fein Councillor Michael Goodman agreed it was a “very fluid situation”.

Antrim Ulster Unionist Cllr Jim Montgomery praised the “thought put into the report” which he described as “heartening”.

He asked if there was a contingency plan for bin collections in case of staff absence. He was assured that there is a contingency plan in place to enable the council to “continue to deliver essential services” including bringing in contractors for burials, if necessary and “to try to get help to where it is most needed at the right time”.

Macedon Alliance Cllr Billy Webb commented that with black bin waste comes landfill costs.  He spoke of a potential drop in income of approximately £0.5m and noted that some councils “could potentially end up bankrupt”.

Macedon DUP Cllr Paul Hamill asked if the local authority would be able to support hospitals and about the provision of testing kits for elected representatives and staff from the council’s essential services.

He was informed by the officer that this would be “necessary”.

He also asked if testing kits could be provided for the public.

He was told by Cllr Goodman that this would be “an issue for the Department of Health and not something council could take responsibility for”.

“It is not within our remit. It has to be properly carried out and properly communicated. It is not a path we should be going down but something to raise with the Department,”he added.

Cllr Hamill replied: “The message coming from the Public Health Agency is test, test, test.”

Cllr Goodman noted: “The most important thing is to raise awareness of the need for testing and to make the Department aware that the hospital is right on our doorstep.”

One of the officers said she agreed that “community testing needs stepped up”.

Glengormley DUP Cllr Alison Bennington asked about changing the council’s standing orders and the possibility of bringing back retired personnel.

“I thought they were not allowed to come back to work for council,” she said.

She was informed the local authority did not need to change standing orders but the chief executive could make a decision in an emergency.

“With regard to retired personnel, it is the case of when we really do need the resources, needs must, all hands to the pump.  It is an unusual set of circumstances. If it means we can deliver essential services to do business as we need to, absolutely, the right place at the right time, certainly, it is an option.”

Cllr Bennington said that as an elected member, she would like to be kept up to date with information about any decision-making.

Cllr Goodman stressed that officers will not be making any decisions.

“It is not going to turn into a situation where officers are making decisions without proper authority.”

 Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter