District Matters

Decisions on COVID tiers

December 2020

Well, it has been pretty eventful since my last leader's column and I have had some new experiences. This is all down to Covid-19.

Just in case people are unaware of how the decisions on Tiers are made the criteria are:

• Indicator 1: Case detection rates in all age groups.
• Indicator 2: Case detection rates in the over 60s.
• Indicator 3: The rate at which cases are rising or falling.
• Indicator 4: Positivity rate (the number of positive cases detected as a percentage of tests taken).
• Indicator 5: Pressure on the NHS, including current and projected occupancy.

When we looked at the data for Stratford-on-Avon District we realised that our data was way below the average for Warwickshire. Indeed, the day after the decisions on Tiers was announced, the Financial Times published an interesting chart summarising Indicator 1. This showed Stratford-on-Avon District at the very bottom of the areas in Tier 3 and below about 75% of those in Tier 2. This is why we took the action to initiate a Judicial Review. It was not an easy decision, after all one does not commence a legal challenge to government every day. We also took expert specialist legal advice before embarking on our challenge.

What we were not aware of at the time was that the Leaders of Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire had written to the Secretary of State for Health requesting that they be treated as a cluster. Had we been aware of this initiative, then we are sure the legal advice would have been not to proceed.

One of the underlying reasons that we made the challenge was the very serious impact being in Tier 3 has on our hospitality industry. This is against a context where it has been estimated that we are the fourth most heavily impacted council area in the country and the worst affected in the West Midlands. The feedback I have had from businesses has been harrowing. Indeed for every email, and other contact, I have had for every comment against the action we took there have been about 10 in support. What is also very apparent is that people relate strongly to our area and not even Warwickshire as a whole, let alone Coventry and Solihull.

I should make clear that the tone of many of the comments I received was that of genuine anger and much support for our hospitality businesses.

I have now been on three virtual meetings with government, the last on Friday 11 December. At all meetings there was very robust challenge to the decisions on Tiers from across the West Midlands.

I should make absolutely clear that I do not envy the decisions the government has to take. However I think that two points are well worth making:

• Decisions have to be seen as transparent, credible and fair. If they are not, then the legitimacy of the decision is undermined and compliance is likely to be lower. As I write this on 13 December there is much comment about the apparent and favourable treatment of London.
  
  
• Decisions are not one dimensional, although the health dimension is critical people understand the economic damage severe restrictions pose and recognise the need for balance and trade off. This is especially true when all the indicators were as positive as ours.

One final personal comment on Covid-19, dealing with the media is both tiring and stressful.

Meanwhile, the other work of the council continues, we are still wrestling with the budget challenges and we are still developing our ever closer working relationship with Warwick District Council. We have also gained a whole new issue that affects the east of the District with the impact of the HS2 construction work.

So, a challenging time and, as 2020 draws to a close both councillors and officers are looking forward to a break to recharge our batteries for all the challenges 2021 will bring.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy, and safe, New Year.