Face coverings in shops, 305 Covid-19 deaths in Newham, increase in the R-rate and why we need more space for shoppers on our high streets to keep them safe
Dear Newham Resident,
I hope you’ve been keeping well and safe as more lockdown restrictions have been loosened. Please continue to play your part in preventing the further spread of coronavirus as you go out and enjoy your weekend. As we continue Covid-19 living, we hear that the Government is considering extending the mandatory wearing of masks on public transport to include in shops in England, following it becoming mandatory in Scotland yesterday, as concerns were raised again about the possible airborne transmission of the virus.
Yesterday, Public Health England (PHE) data showed that in Newham 1,270 residents have been confirmed as having Covid-19. In London, the total number of those tested positive with the virus stands at 34,016 people. Sadly, across the country there have been 44 more deaths in the last 24-hours, and in Newham 305 Covid-19 related deaths have occurred up to 7th July following the publication of Office for National Statistics (ONS) data earlier this week, up by one since last week. My deepest condolences to all families for the loss of their loved ones.
This week there have already been warnings that the reproduction rate in London (the R rate, or rate of transmission) may be creeping back up in some parts of the Capital. The latest figures published by Cambridge University’s Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit, which provides analysis to the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), reveals that the new figure for London is between 0.9 and 1.2. A figure above one means that if the average number of secondary infections produced by a single infected individual is greater than one, then infections are growing.
This week, we announced that Newham is one of four local authorities in the country that will be taking part in an asymptomatic coronavirus testing pilot, with people selected for tests from the walk-in site in East Ham. Along with Brent, Bradford and Oldham, Newham has been selected because we are more vulnerable to the virus. As part of the pilot, those who work in occupations such as taxi drivers, cleaners and in shops will also be tested, with businesses receiving home testing kits or a mobile unit. This follows data from ONS earlier this week, which also showed that only 22 per cent of people testing positive for coronavirus reported having no symptoms on the day of their test. This underlines the significant risks of ‘asymptomatic transmission’ – the spread of the virus by people who are not aware they have it.
The ONS survey revealed some familiar patterns: with those employed in people-facing health or social care roles, and working outside their homes in general, more likely to have a positive test. Once again, people from ethnic minority backgrounds are more likely to test positive for anti-bodies, suggesting a past infection. There is also evidence that people living in larger households were more likely to test positive than those in smaller households.
Yesterday, we heard that the Prime Minister has established a taskforce to consider the options for a radical overhaul of the NHS, following frustrations about its ability to direct the NHS during the first phase of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Social and Healthcare Taskforce will explore options to restrict NHS England’s ‘operational independence’. This is the NHS that has been under constant reform since 1974, with at least six major national plans and ten reorganisations since 2000, the most significant in recent times being the Health and Social Care Act in 2012, which has led to demoralised workforce and now more plans to further upheaval at a critical time as we celebrate 72 years of the NHS and a system overwhelmed by the Covid-19 pandemic which risks further disruption and paralysis of the system.
On Wednesday, we heard from the Chancellor Rishi Sunak on his plans to promote an economic recovery as we emerge from the first phase of the Covid-19 crisis. The totality of the ‘rescue’ package is around £30 billion. This sounds like a lot of money until you consider that Germany is investing 130 billion Euros in its people, its industry and its environment.
Far from promoting jobs, jobs, jobs as promised Mr Sunak has chosen to support home owners, cutting Stamp Duty on house sales below £500,000 (from £125,000 previously). That’s support worth £3.8 billion for people who can afford to buy their own home. There was also a reduction on VAT to support the hospitality and tourism sectors from 20 per cent to five per cent for a limited period. In addition, those that can afford to eat in restaurants will be given a discount voucher worth up to £10.
These measures assume a population who can afford to consider buying a home, or dine out in restaurants. In Newham, we have a population where nearly half of our residents are living in poverty after housing costs are taken into consideration (49%). This is almost double the national level reported by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in 2018 (22 per cent). Cuts in Stamp Duty, and discounts for eating out in restaurants, will do nothing to support them, keep a roof over their head or tackle debt.
Crucially, on supporting employment, the Chancellor announced a Kick Start initiative designed to encourage employers to take on unemployed young people on a six-month work placement at minimum wage. While this is welcome news, especially for our young people in the borough, we all know that the cost of living in Newham is far beyond the minimum wage. How will they survive?
For the 50,000 Newham residents on furlough, there was bad news with the Chancellor sticking to his guns winding up the job retention scheme by October. In its place will be a £1,000 one-off ‘bonus’ to employers to take back furloughed staff during January, February and March next year. I am not convinced with the Government’s optimism about an economic recovery by the early months of next year, will be sufficiently boosted by his announcements this week. Already, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has said that the UK’s unemployment rate could reach 14.8 per cent, with global job losses taking unemployment rates to levels more comparable to the 1930s than 2008.
Over the past couple of weeks, there have been concerns by some local business owners about measures that the Council has put in place to create more space on our high streets for the safety of residents. Creating more space to enable residents to shop at a safe social distance is part of a series of requirements placed on us by national government in order to prevent local Covid-19 outbreaks and is driven by our collective public health imperative to prevent the transmission of the virus and more deaths in the borough.
Statutory guidance published by the Government last month, requires all councils to take measures to reallocate road space to people walking and cycling. This is to both to encourage active travel and to enable social distancing because of the significant reductions in public transport capacity on our buses and trains. You can read the guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reallocating-road-space-in-response-to-covid-19-statutory-guidance-for-local-authorities.
The Government informed local authorities that the measures should be taken as swiftly as possible, and in any event within weeks, given the urgent need to change travel habits prior to the easing of lockdown restrictions that they had announced as part of its ‘loosening lockdown’ measures.
Consequently, as part of the Council’s Town Centre ‘re-opening’ strategy, the authority had to ensure that it was meeting its legal and public health requirements in light of the Covid-19 vulnerabilities and risks facing Newham residents - which has amongst the highest age-standardised Covid-19 mortality rates in the country. That’s why the Council has put in place measures to enable residents’ and visitors to shop in our local high streets safely. Over 50 per cent of Newham households don’t own car, and for them additional capacity to be able to walk and cycle is especially important as public transport becomes constrained.
There have been complaints that the Council didn’t consult on these measures, and this is because of the legal requirements placed on the Council by the Government, and in line with provisions contain in the Coronavirus Act 2020 and the Contingencies Act 2004. Additionally, the time constraints placed on the local authority to implement these measures, meant there was simply no scope for the Council to undertake a consultation on the temporary measures that were subsequently implemented. If these were permanent proposals, a consultation would have to be undertaken by the Council.
In terms of measures introduced in, for example in Green Street, let’s be clear about the facts. Only 42 parking bays have been suspended along with main road to allow these temporary social distancing measures to be activated. These temporary bays are being filled with tarmac to create an even and accessible surface for pedestrians, including those that have a disability or visual impairment; as well as improving the public realm. They will stay in place while the Government continues to advise councils to maintain such social distancing measures in local high streets, and the Council has received specific funding from the Government to implement these schemes; as well as measure to support the reopening of town centres and provide a safer environment for shoppers based on recommended guidelines.
As a result of the temporary suspensions on Green Street, the Council is planning to put in place in alternative arrangements to offset the loss of these 42 parking bays and the impact that this will have on local businesses. An experimental traffic order proposes changes to the existing kerbside arrangements on the side streets at the junctions with Green Street, to create shared use bays for loading and parking to enable deliveries to businesses between 7am and noon. These same bays will then be able to be used by shoppers for parking from noon. This will offset the loss of the parking space by providing 41 spaces.
This will be operational from 28th July, as the Council need time to implement the required works that are needed to put these additional measures in place. In addition to this, loading will be permitted on single yellow line where restrictions permit or in any bay for a period of up to 20 minutes and, shoppers with blue badge holders will be able to park in any resident bay for an unlimited time as well as on single and double yellow line for a period of up to 3 hours.
That aside, Green Street town centre has the most off street parking bays compared to other district centres in Newham. In addition, the combined number of parking spaces at Queens Market and Shaftesbury Road is 301, with Queens Market car park currently operating at less than 50 per cent occupancy. This means that there is approximately 72 bays available per hour throughout retail trading hours. The Council is also looking at the options to extend the hours of Shaftesbury Road car park beyond 8pm, using the powers granted to the Local Authority by the Government under the Coronavirus Act 2020. This could help to attract more evening shoppers to Green Street supporting local businesses and social distancing and staggering the number of people who visit so they can shop safely.
The Council has a responsibility to ensure that all shoppers can visit Green Street and feel there is enough space to allow them to safely distance from other shoppers. This is vitally important to support both public health and the local economy. Owing to the layout of the footways along Green Street, and the need to keep the street open for both public transport, servicing and general traffic, the only options we had were to extend pavements was to suspend a limited number of parking bays; but the availability of parking in the Green Street area still remains high.
The Council will also continue to monitor the effectiveness of these measures in light of supporting town centres and local businesses; as well as ensuring that it meets it public health duty to mitigate the risk of Covid-19 transmission and save lives. It has also provided an opportunity for residents and local businesses to feedback their views on the measures via this website link: https://www.newham.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/c19-information-advice/5.
While Newham was tragically hardest hit by the virus in the early days, following lockdown and the sacrifices you have all made, together with the courageous service of our key and frontline workers, we have seen the tide turn, and perhaps even a little light at the end of the tunnel.
But following the Government’s decision to massively re-open the economy, culminating in the pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and public spaces like playgrounds, opening last weekend, I must emphasise again we are not done with this yet. Again this week the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, Dr Jenny Harries, has warned about the risk of a second wave, saying ‘the virus is still out there. It is looking for more people to infect and we need to stop it getting a grip’.
The Council has now published a Cabinet report, which will be considered on July 14, which reveals that currently the financial impact on the Council of dealing with coronavirus in Newham is estimated at almost £61m. So far, Newham has received two allocations of £10.6m and £9.7m from Government from national funding tranches. Another tranche announced last week might be in the order of £3m to £3.5m, but that would still leave a significant gap of around £37.5m. That is why we continue to ask the Government for extra support in the form of a Covid-19 Deprivation Premium for those areas who have borne the brunt of the pain the pandemic has unleashed.
We have already heard that some councils fear they face running out of money and while Newham is not one of those, we cannot be complacent. The report reflects that it is difficult to be precise about the full financial impact of Covid-19 on the Council, but suggests that further savings of between £8m and £15m may be required above the £45m that was agreed in March as part of the Council’s first three-year budget. That figure was itself agreed on top of identified savings of £200m since 2010. The Government has paid consistent lip service to the importance of local government in fighting this pandemic. But, sadly, so far its action has fallen far short of the rhetoric. Now is the time for real action, to save the economy, to save jobs, and to save many millions from falling into poverty.
This week Newham passed an important milestone in my pledge to create a new relationship between the Council and our residents, so that our work to build trust and transform the way the council operates becomes a reality. The publication of the independent Democracy and Civic Participation Commission report is an important point in the process. For too long the way this Council worked had damaged residents’ trust in the way they were governed, in its politicians and in the way decisions were made about services and the future of the borough. My manifesto commitment was a bold vision for Newham to become a beacon of participatory democracy. Now we have the report, the real work begins.
The Commission’s report includes 28 recommendations, which will now form the basis of important conversations with residents and councillors over the coming weeks. Included in them are recommendations for a two-term limit for the directly elected mayor, and a permanent Citizens’ Assembly, meeting at least twice a year, to respond to and act on important, emerging local issues. If we were to implement this, it would be the first of its kind in England. In response to the Commission’s report, amongst a number of things I reaffirmed my manifesto commitment to hold a referendum on the Council’s future model of governance and having a Directly Elected Mayor, and in the Autumn, proposals will bring forward timetabling options and an alternative option to be presented to residents in that referendum.
I am really excited by how much progress we are a making in rebuilding the relationship between the Council, and the people of Newham. I really want everyone to join us on this journey and help build a better borough for everyone. You can read more details about all the Cabinet items at taking place on the 14th July here: https://mgov.newham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=294&MId=13129 and you can watch it via Facebook Live from 6pm as well.
On Tuesday I offered sympathy and condolences to the family and friends of the 52 people who lost their lives in the bombings that took place in central London on the morning of 7 July 2005. The victims were from 18 different nationalities. As a community of many faiths, beliefs and cultures, we remain united in not allowing the actions of a very few to divide us now and in the future. We celebrate our diversity and a common sense of belonging and shared identity where people can turn to each other for support. The perpetrators of such horrific acts as the one in 2005 and others that have happened since, must not be allowed to win.
This weekend, we are also flying the Remember Srebrenica flag from our town halls to mark the 25th anniversary of the single greatest atrocity since the Second World War took place. In July 1995 in the small town of Srebrenica in Bosnia-Herzegovina, more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys were systematically murdered because of their religion and a hatred because who they were. Thousands of women, children and the elderly were forcibly deported.
So this weekend, as you enjoy the new freedoms brought about by the easing of lockdown restrictions, let’s also remember the victims and survivors of genocide and pledge to create a better, stronger and more cohesive society. The lesson learned from Srebrenica is that hatred and intolerance can never be left unchallenged.
Finally, please continue to play your part in preventing the spread of Covid-19 by social distancing and wearing face coverings when travelling. Stay safe and let’s all work together to act responsibly for the benefit of our community.
Best wishes,
Rokhsana Fiaz OBE
Mayor of Newham