Councillor John Griffiths, Leader of the Council, has given notice under the Council Procedure Rules of the following motion. The motion will be seconded by Councillor Ian Shipp, Leader of the Independent Group and Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee:
Motion of Thanks for those who have supported the efforts in West Suffolk in response to the Coronavirus outbreak
The motion is proposed as follows:
“That West Suffolk Council gives its thanks to all those that have supported the efforts across West Suffolk to respond to the Coronavirus outbreak”.
This includes thanks to the Council’s staff, who have risen to the challenge magnificently, finding new ways of working to deliver support to our residents and businesses when they have needed it the most.
We would like to pay tribute to all those people in our communities who have worked tirelessly within our towns and villages to help each other. Whether that be a village shop that has made vital deliveries to vulnerable residents stuck at home, those individuals who have queued at pharmacies to collect life saving prescriptions or Parish and Town Councils and community groups who have set up support networks to ensure people know they have someone they can call on in their time of need.
We recognise and value the hard work and dedication of our partner organisations to support communities in their time of need. Whether that be charitable organisations who have advised and supported individuals and their families or business groups, the work of carers and members of staff of the social services team at Suffolk County Council, or business support groups that have mobilised to advise and support each other as the challenge of safe social distancing has arisen.
We welcome the work undertaken by many key workers throughout our area such as teachers who have kept schools open to help other key workers and staff in local shops and supermarkets who have continued to service customers or adapted the way they work to respond.
Finally, we would like to particularly to pay tribute to the wonderful NHS staff throughout West Suffolk who have provided services with dignity and care during the greatest challenge the service has faced in its history.
We are very proud and humbled by the efforts of everyone doing such a great job, while supporting themselves and their families through a very difficult time.
Minutes:
Councillor John Griffiths, Leader of the Council, had given notice under the Council Procedure Rules of the Constitution of a motion set out in the agenda. The motion would be seconded by Councillor Ian Shipp, Leader of the Independent Group and Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
The motion was to give thanks to those who had supported the efforts in West Suffolk in response to the Coronavirus outbreak, the terms of which were contained in the agenda.
Members noted that earlier in the meeting under Agenda Item 9, Council approved recommendations relating to making amendments to the Constitution. These were to be effective immediately, which meant the procedure rules regarding the handling of motions on notice had changed. The Chair invited Leah Mickleborough, Monitoring Officer and facilitator for the meeting, to reiterate how the rules had changed, as set out in Appendix A to Report No: COU/WS/20/009.
Councillor Griffiths was duly invited to put his motion, which included reiterating his sincere thanks to a raft of organisations, volunteers and individuals across West Suffolk, as well as the NHS and key workers for their responses to the crisis.
Councillor Ian Shipp was duly invited to second the motion, where he added his thanks to a similar extensive range of organisations, volunteers and individuals that had provided truly outstanding contributions to their communities in response to the outbreak. He expressed his pride at being a councillor and resident of West Suffolk as he witnessed the excellent co-ordination and partnership working to support those in need.
In accordance with the new procedure rules for handling motions on notice, the first five Members that had indicated a wish to speak on the motion were invited to do so for three minutes in turn. Each acknowledged the outstanding work of specific organisations, volunteers and individuals within their own wards and across West Suffolk as a whole.
Specifically, Councillor Mary Evans drew attention to the meaning of ‘sustainable communities’ and how this was often termed in relation to buildings and service provision; however, since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, communities across a range of populated areas including those in very small hamlets had demonstrated resilience and cohesiveness which had made them ‘sustainable’.
On the motion of Councillor John Griffiths, seconded by Councillor Ian Shipp, it was put to the vote and with the vote being unanimous, it was
RESOLVED:
That West Suffolk Council gives its thanks to all those that have supported the efforts across West Suffolk to respond to the Coronavirus outbreak.
Supporting text:
This includes thanks to the Council’s staff, who have risen to the challenge magnificently, finding new ways of working to deliver support to our residents and businesses when they have needed it the most.
We would like to pay tribute to all those people in our communities who have worked tirelessly within our towns and villages to help each other. Whether that be a village shop that has made vital deliveries to vulnerable residents stuck at home, those individuals who have queued at pharmacies to collect life saving prescriptions or Parish and Town Councils and community groups who have set up support networks to ensure people know they have someone they can call on in their time of need.
We recognise and value the hard work and dedication of our partner organisations to support communities in their time of need. Whether that be charitable organisations who have advised and supported individuals and their families or business groups, the work of carers and members of staff of the social services team at Suffolk County Council, or business support groups that have mobilised to advise and support each other as the challenge of safe social distancing has arisen.
We welcome the work undertaken by many key workers throughout our area such as teachers who have kept schools open to help other key workers and staff in local shops and supermarkets who have continued to service customers or adapted the way they work to respond.
Finally, we would like to particularly to pay tribute to the wonderful NHS staff throughout West Suffolk who have provided services with dignity and care during the greatest challenge the service has faced in its history.
We are very proud and humbled by the efforts of everyone doing such a great job, while supporting themselves and their families through a very difficult time.