16 June 2020 All of the political groups on Derbyshire Dales District Council have signed up to a joint statement calling on central government to ensure that the needs of local communities are fully considered as coronavirus lockdown eases.
The statement – issued by the leaders of the Conservative, Green, Labour and Liberal Democrat groups – calls on the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to review all strategies and regulations “to make sure that our communities are protected from uncontrolled excess visitor numbers that could contribute to a second wave of the virus”.
Here’s the full statement:
“The Coronavirus has had a significant impact both globally and nationally. Our district has not escaped unscathed. The human and economic costs of the pandemic have been hard for our communities and we express our sincere sympathies to those impacted.
“On behalf of our communities we want to thank our NHS and care workers, the emergency services, together with all key workers and front-line staff, particularly those involved in the delivery of council services. From the early stages our own district council staff have been involved in delivering emergency humanitarian aid and they have been working hard to support local businesses through advice, grants and practical support. We would also like to thank the innovative and inspiring mutual aid groups that have been created in our communities to help those in need.
“Put simply – you are all doing the Derbyshire Dales proud.
“As we move into the next stage of this pandemic and start to unlock we want to take the opportunity to call on central government to ensure that the needs of our communities are fully considered and that we are consulted on the next steps. We call on the Rt. Hon. Robert Jenrick (Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government) to review all strategies and regulations to make sure that our communities are protected from uncontrolled excess visitor numbers that could contribute to a second wave of the virus.
“We are very keen to see our communities and businesses reopen whilst ensuring public health remains a priority.
“We are committed to working together cross party through our District Council Emergency Committee, Ward councillors, the Joint Resilience Forum, Parish and Town Councils and the District Councils’ Network to make sure our residents and businesses are supported as much as possible during these challenging times.”
Signed by:
- Neil Buttle – Group Leader – Green
- Steve Flitter – Group Leader – Liberal Democrats
- Garry Purdy – Council Leader and Group Leader – Conservatives
- Mike Ratcliffe – Group Leader – Labour
