Decision details

The Director, Corporate Estates updated the Cabinet on the action taken to ensure the Council’s buildings, including schools, can be opened safely to Members, staff, pupils and the general public maintaining safe social distancing and other appropriate safety measures during the current Covid-19 pandemic.

Cabinet Members were advised that comprehensive guidance and posters had been prepared to support the opening of schools and public buildings in accordance with the regulations, which had been circulated to staff via email and was available via the Source.

The Director stated that all Council buildings had been surveyed to identify the maximum numbers for future occupancy and appropriate Covid-19 packs had been delivered to sites, which include signage, hazard tape, bins, sanitiser and screen protectors. The Director went on to explain that temperature checking equipment was also being trialled for Council buildings, including schools and if successful would be an additional measure to help reduce the spread of the virus.

The Director concluded and advised that RCT was well placed to safely reopen its buildings as the lockdown is lifted, but acknowledged that individual schools and services would inevitably have to adapt the guidelines to best meet their particular needs, taking into account the physical layout of the respective building.

The Cabinet Member for Corporate Services wished to place on record his thanks to Corporate Estates and the teachers for the significant amount of work in adapting to what has become the new normal. The Cabinet Member added that it would be vital to review the progress of agile working and build it firmly into future plans.

The Cabinet RESOLVED:

1.    To consider the information provided and notes the action taken to date in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and

2.    That the Director of Corporate Estates monitors the situation on a regular basis to ensure as schools, services and offices reopen to staff, pupils and the general public, our schools and Council buildings are suitably safe, and in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member(s), introduces additional measures and/or enforces measures where necessary in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.