A plan to help our communities recover from the impact of the Coronavirus crisis is due to be discussed by councillors in South Somerset.
Throughout the pandemic, South Somerset District Council has provided vital support to thousands of residents and businesses.
This support has included:
- Providing business grants to more than 2,900 businesses with a total value of more than £34 million
- Providing business grants to more than 2,900 businesses with a total value of more than £34 million
- Worked to get all rough sleepers off the street and support 180 homeless residents in temporary accommodation
- Set up a completely new service –the Wellbeing Hub – which has provided almost 1,000 boxes of food and essential supplies to shielded people, vulnerable, those facing hardship and children entitled to free school meals
- Coordinated and supported a network of community and voluntary groups to ensure everyone has access to help in their community
Now our focus will turn to ensuring we can help both our communities and the council recover to steer us through the challenges and opportunities ahead.
The council’s District Executive committee will this week consider its views on our recovery strategy.
It includes plans to support businesses, developing a pipeline of brownfield sites for redevelopment with a focus on providing new homes, and a programme of community grants alongside proposals to tackle both the climate crisis and developing long-term solutions to support those facing hardship or homelessness.
Council Leader Val Keitch said: “I am so proud of the way our council has responded to this crisis, providing essential support to thousands of residents and businesses. But now our thoughts must turn to how we can help our communities recover. Putting this strategy before our District Executive committee is an important next step.
“Our general community life and wellbeing has been severely tested and normal freedoms have been adversely impacted while the outlook for the UK economy has become increasingly uncertain.
“To ensure we can recover and grow, we will need dedicated, collective and focussed leadership, alongside our communities, our businesses and our public services for some time, and that’s what this council will provide. We will take decisive action to support our communities, help them recover and ensure that they are part of the decision-making process as we rebuild.
“Additionally, we recognise that the climate emergency will still be there when the spread of Covid-19 is brought under control. This could be an opportunity to address this issue with even greater clarity with the right recovery from the pandemic.
The strategy will be discussed by the District Executive committee during a virtual meeting on Thursday 2 July from 9.30am – https://bit.ly/2BXvrHO
