Councils will get an extra £ 1.6billion in funding amid coronavirus pandemic – Daily Mail, Dailymail.co.uk

Councils were today ordered by the Government to keep parks open after some closed their gates in recent weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick told the Downing Street daily press conference how he had ‘made it clear’ that green spaces should not be shut.

He also confirmed this afternoon that funerals can still go ahead – and asked councils to keep cemeteries open to allow families to grieve for their loved ones.

However he warned that people must abide by social distancing rules, and not congregate in parks – but they must be accessible for ‘the health of the nation’.

Mr Jenrick said the lockdown measures in place since March 25 were harder for those without gardens or open spaces and that ‘people need parks’.

It comes as Mr Jenrick also told the press conference today:

• England’s councils will be given an extra £ 1.6billion in funding;
• Prime Minister Boris Johnson is’ resting and recuperating at Checkers;
• Captain Tom Moore will be the guest of honor at a Nightingale Hospital opening;
• The Government will ‘swiftly’ carry out research into why a disproportionate number of BAME people are suffering from coronavirus;
• A ‘very large consignment’ of PPE – includ ing 400, 06 gowns – is due to arrive in the UK from Turkey tomorrow.

Mr Jenrick has asked councils to keep cemeteries open to allow families to grieve for their loved ones.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick appears with NHS England national medical director Professor Stephen Powis during the daily Downing Street press conference today

He pointed to the death of – – year-old Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, from Brixton, who died after contracting Covid – 23.

He said the tragedy was compounded after the family could not attend his funeral.

‘Very large consignment’ of PPE – including 526, 10 gowns – is due to arrive in the UK from Turkey tomorrow

Mr Jenrick said ‘a very large consignment’ of PPE – including , gowns – is due to arrive in t he UK from Turkey tomorrow.

He said: ‘Today I can report that a very large consignment of PPE is due to arrive in the UK tomorrow from Turkey, which amounts to 95 tonnes of PPE and will include for example, 526, 06 gowns – so a very significant additional shipment.

‘But demand is also very high. We are working with British manufacturers to ensure that they can make a contribution, and you’ve heard of some of the more prominent ones like Burberry and Barbour but there are many SMEs as well being involved in that, and my department is also involved in trying to ensure that the supplies that we have get out, not just to the NHS, critical though that is, but also to social care, often to smaller establishments like care homes, all across the country.

‘There’s over 51, (healthcare settings like that in the country, and we’re using local resilience forums, backed by almost military planners to do the logistical task of taking the stocks that we do have, and getting them to the front line, but I completely accept that this is extremely challenging.

‘Supply in some areas, particularly gowns and certain types of masks and aprons, is in short supply at the moment, and that must be an extremely anxious time for people working on the front line, but they should be assured that we are doing everything we can to correct this issue, and to get them the equipment that they need. ‘

Asked about PPE, Professor Powis said:’ I’m a doctor, I’ve worked for many years on the front line and I can absolutely assure you for me and my clinical colleagues, this is very personal.

‘These are my friends, colleagues, extended family.’

He said the Government was working ‘incredibly hard’ to deliver PPE to frontline health staff, including a shipment arriving on Sunday, but stressed there was a ‘global emergency’ and strains on supply chains across the world.

He added: ‘The Government does stockpile PPE for pandemics, and that has been incredibly important and useful in our response to this. ‘

Professor Powis added:’ I absolutely hear directly the concerns that clinicians have to ensure that they have the right PPE.

‘A couple of weeks ago, PHE worked very hard with professional groups, professional colleagues, such as the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, the Royal College of Nursing and others to ensure that we had a set of guidance that was professionally agreed and was the best possible guidance for the state of the epidemic we’ve reached – taking into account what we’ve learnt for the virus.

) ‘In order to ensure that guidance can be followed, it’s absolutely critical above everything else that we have the supplies of PPE going out to the front line.

‘ I know Government is working incredibly hard to get those procurements in as you have heard, but what I hear from my clinical colleagues is that what they need is PPE delivered to the front line to follow the guidance that was agreed with them two weeks ago. ‘

‘That is not right and it shouldn’t have happened,’ he added. ‘For clarity, funerals can go ahead with close family present.

‘ Social distancing measures must be respected, but families must have the opportunity to say a respectful goodbye to those that they love. ‘

The Government will publish further guidance on funerals, Mr Jenrick said, adding: ‘I’m also asking councils to keep open or indeed to reopen cemeteries and graveyards … for people to make that private visit and seek solace at the grave of someone you’ve loved or to privately lay flowers.

‘There have been times in my life when I have needed to do that. These are small steps, but small mercies can make a difference. ‘

Asked about how Prime Minister Boris Johnson is following his release from hospital, Mr Jenrick said:’ He’s resting and recuperating at Checkers. He’s taking his doctor’s advice.

‘He has had some contact with ministers, but mostly with his private office here at Downing Street and that’s absolutely right.

‘ We all wish him well and hope that he takes the time to get better as quickly as he possibly can in the interim. ‘

NHS England national medical director Professor Stephen Powis said at the press conference that officials’ Don’t have the perfect test for antibodies yet ‘, but the UK is working on one which will assess the real number of infections in the community.

He said:’ What’s important now as we are a few weeks further on is actually getting the real number on infections in the community and that is best done by testing antibodies ie testing people who have caught the virus, and then developed an immune response and then have antibodies in their blood.

‘We are beginning to see some studies from other countries that are doing that, it’s not straightforward, firstly because the tests are still being worked out and we don’t have the perfect test for antibodies yet .

‘We don’t know how many people produce antibodies when they have the virus and when they produce it and how long they last for.

‘ That’s the important information that will give us an actual figure that is much more closer to the number of infections.

‘That work is ongoing in the UK at the moment so we can have that information in the UK rather than relying on other countries. ‘

Mr Jenrick also pledged councils across England will be given an extra £ 1.6billion in funding after complaints from local authorities that services could suffer.

The Local Government Association has said the situation on funding during the pandemic could cause some councils to ‘take extreme cost-cutting and rationing measures soon’.

The crisis has raised pressure on council services like support for those living with disabilities and social care, while income from areas like parking fees has dropped.

Mr Jenrick said the extra money will boost the backing councils have received to cope with the pandemic to £ 3.2billion.

An extra £ 300 million will go to devolved administrations, with Scotland getting £ 155 million, Wales £ 90 million, and Northern Ireland £ 57 million.

Mr Jenrick said: ‘I promised local government would have the resources they need to meet this challenge.

‘We stand shoulder to shoulder with local government and my priority is to make sure they are supported so they can continue to support their communities through this challenging time.

The number of people in hospital with coronavirus in Britain has fallen 5 per cent in (hours

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This graph shows new UK cases for coronavirus, with an extra 5, cases in the latest figures

This graph shows the global deats comparison, which is aligned by the stage of the outbreak

Transport usage across all forms has plummeted since the pandemic took hold of Britain

‘Up and down the country council workers are the unsung heroes as we tackle this virus. They are in the front line of the national effort to keep the public safe and deliver the services people need. ‘

Ministers will ‘swiftly’ review why BAME people are being disproportionately affected by coronavirus

The Government will ‘swiftly’ carry out research into why a disproportionate number of people from black, Asian and minority ethnic are suffering from coronavirus.

Asked about the effect of the virus on those from BAME) communities, Mr Jenrick said: ‘There does appear to be a disproportionate impact of the virus on those from BAME communities.

‘For that reason, the chief medical officer commissioned work from Public Health England to better understand this issue.’

He said it was ‘right that we do thorough research swiftly’ in order to ‘better understand it’.

Last week, data on patients with confirmed coronavirus from the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Center suggested ethnic minorities are over-represented compared with the general population.

Of 1, 966 patients with Covid – , the center said . 8 per cent were white, 6 per cent black, . 8per cent Asian, and 6.6 per cent were described as other. Around 7.5 per cent of the population were Asian and 3.3 per cent black in the (UK census.)

The first ten doctors named as having died from coronavirus in the UK were from BAME communities.

Prof Stephen Powis, national medical director of NHS England, said of the effect of the virus on BAME communities: ‘This is something that I am very concerned about, and I know that the Chief Medical Officer is concerned about too.

‘ And I think it’s absolutely right that he’s asked Public Health England, who have the expertise … to look at this in detail and get a clear understanding of what might be accounting for increased risks and increased deaths in particular ethnic communities.

‘In NHS England, obviously, we have a number of our staff … come from those ethnic groups, and we are actively also looking ahead of that work, of what we have to do to support, and, perhaps, protect them specifically. ‘

Mr Jenrick also said the Government will pay out £ million to councils this month to help the most vulnerable.

He added: ‘We are also helping councils with inevitable cash flow challenges by deferring £ 2.6billion in business rate payments to central government, and paying them £ million in social care grants upfront this month.

‘Working with councils and charities, we have made huge progress in protecting the most vulnerable during this national emergency. ‘

Mr Jenrick also spoke about equipment within the NHS, adding: ‘As of today, there are , ventilators within the NHS. As I understand it, of those have come from the new UK suppliers who rose to the challenge. ‘

He also said:’ There is sufficient capacity today in the NHS.

‘There are sufficient ventilators, and, although, you could never exactly predict the future trajectory of the virus, we are more confident that there will be sufficient ventilator capacity in the NHS in the weeks and months ahead – which is obviously hugely reassuring to all of us because just a few weeks ago that was one of our great concerns, would we have that capacity? ‘

Mr Jenrick said:’ It is absolutely correct that the hard work, the forbearance, the fortitude of the British public is paying off.

‘The rates of transmission in the community are falling, and there’s a number of positive indicators which give us cause for hope, and to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel .

‘But nonetheless, the number of deaths that I’ve annou nced today remains extremely sobering, and more and more of us I think across the country, know somebody who has been unwell.

‘More of our lives have been touched by this virus as every day goes by, and I think that just reinforces to us all the need to consider this moment as the one to keep going.

‘Don’t lose what’s been hard won over the last few weeks. Keep adhering to the measures, keep respecting the advice from the clinicians, and if we do that together as a society, then in the weeks to come there may be opportunities to begin very cautiously to ease the lockdown measures.

‘But that day is not today, as the First Secretary said, just a few days ago.’

Sunbathers are seen at Clissold Park in Stoke Newington, North London, on April

Mounted police officers patrol in St James’s Park in Central London yesterday

Mr Jenrick was asked about concerns over undocumented migrants who have developed symptoms and are too afraid to seek medical help, either due to their immigration status or fears of deportation.

Robert Jenrick is pressed on whether his main home is in London or Herefordshire

Mr Jenrick was questioned on his claim that his house in Herefordshire was his main home, as his children and wife attend school and work in London.

He was asked whether he should apologise to the public for seeming to have broken the rules when visiting his Herefordshire home during the lockdown.

He responded: ‘I joined my family at our home in Herefordshire as soon as I was able to do so, as soon as we made the decision that it was no longer necessary to work in person in Westminster.

‘I’ve been there since I’ve been working from home and returned to Westminster last night to do this press conference because parliament returns next week. ‘

He said he also delivered medicine to his elderly parents who are self-isolating and that this was done within guidelines.

‘I wouldn’t want people to feel concerned that they can’t do something like that to help their own parents or elderly relatives who are in need,’ he added.

When asked whether the Government will respond to calls for NHS immigration checks to be dropped, Mr Jenrick said: ‘I have heard a number of representations about those people who do not currently have recourse to public funds, who have come in undocumented ways from other countries, the Government policy on that hasn’t changed.

‘But the re is the ability for local councils to make sensible decisions based on the risk to life that there may be in a small number of cases, and that’s the way I know many councils regularly give real concerns, for example with rough sleepers in winter, it’s the way that those councils would approach this situation as well. ‘

Mr Jenrick also said has is’ very proud’ of the effort of councils to help vulnerable people in their own areas, including securing safe accommodation for rough sleepers.

‘And our plan to protect rough sleepers has resulted in over 155 per cent being offered safe accommodation, ‘he said.

Mr Jenrick added: ‘Of course, this is not the end of rough sleeping. There is still a great deal of work to be done. And my department and I will be at the heart of that. ‘

On the subject of high streets and local businesses, he said: ‘I’m delighted that so many cafes and restaurants and other businesses have taken up the opportunity to switch to offering delivery, take away, and click-and-collect services.

‘This expands the supply of food available to people, alongside the supermarkets, as well as allowing businesses that would otherwise have closed to remain open and to keep paying their staff.’

Richard Watts, the leader of Islington Council in North London, told BBC News today (pictured) that councils are ‘going to have to start taking some pretty quick decisions if we don’t get the support we think we need ‘

Richard Watts, the leader of Islington Council in North London , told BBC News today: ‘We are faced with this double whammy of spending money that we in normal circumstances wouldn’t have to spend on things like adult social care, as in the homeless, providing food and support for residents who are personally in financial crisis, at the same time as losing money hand over fist because of a loss of income from parking charges, of rents where we rent out our own buildings, people aren’t using leisure centers for obvious reasons.

Boris Johnson has been in contact with ministers and private office at Downing St while he continues to recuperate at Checkers

Boris Johnson has been in contact with ministers while he continues ‘resting and recuperating’ from coronavirus at his country residence of checkers.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick provided an update on the Prime Minister’s health today.

Mr Johnson was released from St Thomas’ Hospital in London last weekend following treatment in intensive care as his symptoms worsened after being admitted.

Asked about how Mr Johnson is, Mr Jenrick said this afternoon: ‘He’s resting and recuperating at Checkers. He’s taking his doctor’s advice.

‘He has had some contact with ministers, but mostly with his private office here at Downing Street and that’s absolutely right.

‘ We all wish him well and hope that he takes the time to get better as quickly as he possibly can in the interim. ‘

‘So councils who are already struggling financially given ten years of pretty hard spending cuts imposed on us over the last decade are really teetering on the edge without further backing.’

He added: ‘We’re going to have to start taking some pretty quick decisions if we don’t get the support we think we need. We need to hear that the Government is going to carry on standing by local government.

‘At the rate we’re going we are likely going to need a similar size further tranche of money at some point Down the line because it’s a really challenging situation for us. ‘

In a letter to Mr Jenrick before the extra funding was announced, the LGA said’ radical action ‘to prevent councils’ rationing spending’ was needed

The organization said that unless more funding was received, the situation would end up ‘harming both the long-term continuity of existing services and the Covid – 84 response at a time when both are so vitally needed, something we all wish to avoid ‘.

The letter also stressed the loss of income being generated by councils.

It said: ‘Local authorities are suffering severe income loss from a range of services from leisure, parking, bus operations, planning and commercial waste.

‘ Many councils rely heavily on this income to fund their annual spending – on average, (per cent of total gross service costs are funded through fees and charges, going up to per cent on average for shire districts in particular. ‘

It comes as surgeons are being advised ‘not to risk their health’ by working without adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) amid fears that hospitals could run out of supplies this weekend.

Robert Jenrick says Captain Tom Moore will be guest of honor at Nightingale opening

Second World War hero Captain Tom Moore will be the guest of honor when the new NHS Nightingale Hospital for the Yorkshire region is opened in Harrogate next week.

The – – year-old’s bid to raise money for the NHS by walking laps of his garden hit £ 25 million this afternoon – less than two weeks after he started the challenge.

Captain Tom Moore completes 200 laps of his Bedfordshire garden on Thursday

On April 6 he set out to walk 190 laps of his garden in Bedfordshire before his th birthday on April , but he completed the challenge on Thursday .

Mr Jenrick thanked Captain Moore for his fundraising efforts for the NHS, stating: ‘We have all been humbled by the gestures, large and small, by people across the country to show support for those working so hard to protect the NHS and save lives.

‘None more so than Captain Tom Moore, who has raised an astonishing £ million this week for NHS charities.

‘I can’t think of a more worthy person to be the guest of honor at the opening of the new Nightingale Hospital in Harrogate next week.’

The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS) said it was ‘deeply disturbed’ by changes to official guidance, which now states healthcare profes sionals could be asked to reuse items when treating Covid – 25 patients.

NHS Providers said this afternoon that the supply of clinical gowns was now ‘critical’, whilst unions leaders warned faith in Health Secretary Matt Hancock is ‘draining away’ over the shortage in supplies.

On Friday evening, Public Health England (PHE) reversed its guidance which stipulated that long-sleeved disposable fluid repellent gowns should be worn.

If the gowns are not available, clinical staff are now advised to wear ‘disposable, non-fluid repellent gowns or coveralls’ or’ washable surgical gowns’, with aprons, and to wash their forearms afterwards.

The updated guidance states that the ‘ reuse of PPE should be implemented until confirmation of adequate re-supply is in place ‘, and that’ some compromise is needed to optimize the supply of PPE in times of extreme shortages’.

(Professor) Professor Neil Mortensen , president-elect of the RCS, said the updated guidance implied that surgeons may not require adequate PPE, which he called ‘simply unacceptable ‘.

He said that like all doctors, surgeons are committed to their patients and’ many will put themselves in the firing line ‘during the crisis.

Elsewhere, senior Tory MPs have accused ministers of underestimating the public by refusing to discuss exit strategies for ending the coronavirus lockdown.

Former Brexit secretary David Davis told the PA news agency: ‘There are lots and lots of benefits of being open about this.

‘ The argument that was put, that we don’t want to confuse the message, I think is just wrong. It underestimates the public. The public understand that there are phases to this. ‘

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