Agenda item

Covid-19: COMF Grant Approval

Report of the Director of Public Health

Decision:

9.1

The Director of Public Health and the Executive Director, Resources submitted a report (a) to inform Cabinet of additional funding received from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) towards expenditure incurred in relation to the mitigation and management of local outbreaks of COVID-19 for public health purposes to break the chain of transmission and protecting the most vulnerable from catching the virus; (b) seeking approval for the acceptance of the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) and to seek authorisation for the Executive Director Resources, in consultation with the Director of Public Health, to expend the DHSC funding; and (c) seeking approval for the acceptance of future COMF Funding being received January to March 2021.

 

 

9.2

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:-

 

 

(a) notes that in October, November and December, Sheffield City Council (SCC) was allocated a number of grants known as the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) totalling over £8million, from DHSC towards expenditure incurred in relation to the mitigation against and management of local outbreaks of COVID-19;

 

(b) notes that £8.020m of COMF grant has already been received;

 

(c) approves the acceptance of the £8.020 COMF Grant;

 

(d) approves acceptance of up to £7.020m of COMF grant funding being received (Jan – Mar 2021);

 

(e) approves the expenditure of the COMF grant (up to £15.040m);

 

(f) delegate the authority to finalise future allocations of COMF grant to the Executive Director of Resources, in consultation with the Director of Public Health; and

 

(g) delegates authority to the Executive Director Resources, in consultation with the Director of Public Health, to make the final decisions regarding the use of

this fund, in consultation with the Cabinet Member responsible for Public Health.

 

 

9.3

Reasons for Decision

 

 

9.3.1

The recommendations described in this report will enable Sheffield City Council to expend funds incurred in relation to the mitigation and management of local outbreaks of COVID-19 for public health purposes to break the chain of transmission and protect the most vulnerable from catching the virus.

 

 

9.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

 

 

9.4.1

This report describes what officers believe to be the best way of preventing, mitigating and controlling the virus in Sheffield. However, this will be kept under review and the approach described may need to change.

 

 

9.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

 

 

 

None

 

 

9.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

 

 

 

None

 

 

9.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

 

 

 

Greg Fell, Director of Public Health and Eugene Walker, Executive Director, Resources.

 

 

9.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

 

 

 

Healthier Communities and Adult Social Care Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee and the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee.

 

Minutes:

9.1

The Director of Public Health and the Executive Director, Resources submitted a report (a) to inform Cabinet of additional funding received from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) towards expenditure incurred in relation to the mitigation and management of local outbreaks of COVID-19 for public health purposes to break the chain of transmission and protecting the most vulnerable from catching the virus; (b) seeking approval for the acceptance of the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) and to seek authorisation for the Executive Director Resources, in consultation with the Director of Public Health, to expend the DHSC funding; and (c) seeking approval for the acceptance of future COMF Funding being received January to March 2021.

 

 

9.2

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:-

 

 

(a) notes that in October, November and December, Sheffield City Council (SCC) was allocated a number of grants known as the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) totalling over £8million, from DHSC towards expenditure incurred in relation to the mitigation against and management of local outbreaks of COVID-19;

 

(b) notes that £8.020m of COMF grant has already been received;

 

(c) approves the acceptance of the £8.020 COMF Grant;

 

(d) approves acceptance of up to £7.020m of COMF grant funding being received (Jan – Mar 2021);

 

(e) approves the expenditure of the COMF grant (up to £15.040m);

 

(f) delegate the authority to finalise future allocations of COMF grant to the Executive Director of Resources, in consultation with the Director of Public Health; and

 

(g) delegates authority to the Executive Director Resources, in consultation with the Director of Public Health, to make the final decisions regarding the use of

this fund, in consultation with the Cabinet Member responsible for Public Health.

 

 

9.3

Reasons for Decision

 

 

9.3.1

The recommendations described in this report will enable Sheffield City Council to expend funds incurred in relation to the mitigation and management of local outbreaks of COVID-19 for public health purposes to break the chain of transmission and protect the most vulnerable from catching the virus.

 

 

9.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

 

 

9.4.1

This report describes what officers believe to be the best way of preventing, mitigating and controlling the virus in Sheffield. However, this will be kept under review and the approach described may need to change.

 

Supporting documents: