Leader praises High Peak Borough Council for 'rising to the challenge' of lockdown

The leader of High Peak Borough Council has praised the authority’s commitment to continue to support communities and businesses throughout lockdown.
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Coun Anthony Mckeown said the council had ‘risen to the challenge’ after the Government’s lockdown announcement at the end of March meant an immediate change to everyone’s lives.

With council buildings closed to the public and the majority of staff working from home, the council adapted quickly to ensure the delivery of services continued uninterrupted.

Figures from this month show that since lockdown was imposed contact centre staff have responded to 4,719 calls and 7,418 webforms; 316,800 waste collections have been carried out; grants totalling £21.6 million have been issued to more 1,900 High Peak businesses; 2,259 benefits claims were processe; 5,000 welfare calls were made to Carelink tenants – 700 a week and 19 rough sleepers have been found accommodation

High Peak Council has been praised by its leader for its response to the coronavirus outbreak. Photo: Google EarthHigh Peak Council has been praised by its leader for its response to the coronavirus outbreak. Photo: Google Earth
High Peak Council has been praised by its leader for its response to the coronavirus outbreak. Photo: Google Earth

Coun Mckeown said: “This is an unprecedented situation that has affected every one of us in ways we probably couldn’t have imagined and we are all having to adjust to different ways of living, working and learning.

“But none of us has to do this alone.

“Communities and individuals across the High Peak have risen to the new challenges we’re facing magnificently and it is heart warming and humbling to see.

“For our part, the council remains very much here to offer our support. Working with the voluntary sector and partners, we have been able to quickly and effectively respond to the challenges raised by the coronavirus whilst maintaining our usual services in what can only be described as very usual circumstances.

“That is thanks to the resilience and hard work of our staff and partners who have shown their commitment to ensuring that we come through this as safely as possible.

“I commend them for all they have done and continue to do.

“Whilst we are not quite there yet, I know that this same spirit and determination will stand the High Peak in the best place to begin to recover as we gradually ease out of lockdown and slowly start to return to something akin to ‘normal’.”