Minutes:
In introducing her Motion, Councillor Haverson referred to the limited impact of the government’s test and trace system at huge cost to the tax payer and stressed an effective test and trace system was still vital in stopping the spread of the virus over coming months and years. She referred to the submission made earlier in the meeting by Dr Hime and confirmed she was happy to take on board his proposals as part of her Motion.
Councillor Willis stated she had a number of friends who were employed as part of the current test and trace system and confirmed she would take no part in the debate or the vote on this item.
Motion: Moved by Cllr Haverson and seconded by Councillor Gibbons
“A recent cross-party government advisory committee has stated that during the current pandemic, the Test and Trace system has only made a marginal impact in the UK. This system is run by private companies at huge expense to the tax payer.
It is now apparent that local authorities are much more successful in tracing contacts, they also have the local knowledge for backwards tracing, ie tracing the source of an outbreak. North Somerset like many other local councils have run a supplementary service since January, contacting local residents who could not be contacted by the existing service. Some other LAs such as Sandwell (West Midlands) and others have taken all of contact tracing on as early as last summer, Lambeth Borough Council have recently done so.
A functioning Test and Trace system is still absolutely vital to stopping this virus spreading over the coming months and year, as Independent SAGE members led by Sir David King, the WHO and public health experts like Prof. Devi Sridhar have asserted time and time again. Scientists also expect future pandemics.
I therefore move that North Somerset Council expresses concern about the poor performance of the existing Test and Trace system and ask our Chief Executive and our Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Health Matt Hancock and to Robert Jenrick. Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government as well as our local MPs, to ask for meaningful dialogue with local authorities on co-designing our future health protection rather than receiving a national policy decision. This should include considering the Contact Tracing system to be devolved to Local Government, with rapid data transfer from the testing service and appropriate funding support. This may be both more cost effective and more successful in encouraging compliance, as local authorities know their communities and are trusted. However, this will have to be clearly dependent on adequate funding both for staff and data systems.
I also move to explore the possibility of expanding our current follow up system by involving volunteers such as retired GPs and nurses, analogous to our successful North Somerset Together scheme. This could be brought forward in time for the next ‘wave’ expected by many scientists for the autumn.
In addition, the letter to the Secretary of State for Health should include reference to the need for adequate financial support for those that are asked to isolate. It is established that people who have difficult financial circumstances with poor housing and precarious employment are both most vulnerable to the effects of the virus and least able to comply with the isolation requirements. Council must find the means to support these people.
Furthermore, the Council accepts the aim of public health policy should be eradication rather than control of the virus. The probability of new virus variants makes any idea of "living with the virus" an extremely dangerous long-term option. Council policy should be to put an effective Track and Trace system in place in order to further the aim of eradication."
Seven members signalled their support for a debate on the Motion.
Councillor Haverson spoke in support of her Motion and urged all members to support it. In discussing the Motion members expressed their support for the proposals but noted the complexities and challenges around this issue. Members recognised the tremendous efforts of public health and health service colleagues in responding to the pandemic and in reacting to the flaws of the centralised test and trace system which had initially been ineffective due to lack of local knowledge and resourcing. Members noted that the council’s local enhanced contact tracing service was now far more effective and that further service developments were planned to adapt and respond to national processes.
It was noted that discussions between the Local Government Association (LGA) and the government on the test and trace system were ongoing and it was suggested that the LGA be copied in to the letter to the Minister. It was also proposed that the wording of the letter be amended to reflect the latest position and address the need for any devolved powers to be properly resourced.
Councillor Haverson as mover or the Motion and Councillor Gibbons as seconder agreed to take on board the proposed revisions to the Motion.
It was subsequently
Resolved: that the Motion as set out in full above be approved and adopted, subject to the final wording of the letter to the Minister and the Local Government Association to be agreed by group leaders, in consultation with the Chief Executive and Councillor Haverson.