Emotional rallying cry as Sunderland leader speaks of pride in city at time of 'sadness and disbelief'

Confirmed cases have risen every day across the UK, with at least 20 in Sunderland and the situation not expected to peak until May.

Leaders at Sunderland City Council hope the special powers granted to chief executive Patrick Melia will help weather the fallout from COVID-19.

And the proposals received unanimous cross-party support on Wednesday, March 25, at what is likely to be the local authority’s last meeting until June at the earliest.

Council leader Graeme Miller told the chamber the annual Mayor-Making, which traditionally takes place in May, is likely to be postponed as ‘May is also likely to be the peak of COVID in Sunderland’.

“While we will look back on this time inevitably with sadness and quite probably disbelief,” said Coun Miller, “we will also look back with tremendous pride on our city and its people and how everyone pulled together to get through it.”

He added: “Scientists predict today that infection levels will reach their peak in the UK in two – three weeks.

“We have to be ready – and we will be ready – to keep critical health and social care and environmental services going and any other service that must continue in order to keep Sunderland’s residents safe and supported.

“We will get through this and emerge stronger for it in time as a city, if we all work together and look after one another, and I thank you all, sincerely, for your support.

“This is not about politics, this is about people and health.”

Just 25 out of 74 sitting city councillors attended the meeting, including current mayor David Snowdon, with several empty seats between each to comply with social distancing guidelines.

Following a request from Coun Rebecca Atkinson, cabinet member for housing and regeneration, a minute’s applause was held for all key workers fighting the COVID-19 outbreak, ahead of a national call for all households to do the same on Thursday, March 26 at 8pm as part of the #clapforourcarers campaign.

Following a request from Coun Niall Hodson, leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition group, the emergency powers granted to Mr Melia will be reviewed at the ‘first available opportunity’.

Coun Miller’s statement in full:

Before we start with the agenda this evening, I wanted to say a few words as Leader of the Council about the unprecedented situation in which we find ourselves in relation to Covid-19.

I want to begin by saying an enormous thank you to council staff, who are all, each and every one, playing their part in enabling the council to respond to the best of its ability to this situation, which is having, and will continue to have, far-reaching impacts on our communities and on every business and employer, large and small, throughout the city, and, of course, the country.

Massive thanks are also due to our partners-and particularly our heroic NHS colleagues and the incredible voluntary and community sector working right in the heart of neighbourhoods and communities.

And it is here where councillors right across the city are rolling up their sleeves and working with community groups to coordinate everything from food donations, to learning packs for children, to local taxi firms making deliveries.

Businesses, finding themselves in the most challenging and worrying of circumstances are selflessly playing their part too, with the offer of their empty premises and parked up vehicles and everything else they can think of.

Whilst we will look back on this time inevitably with sadness and quite probably disbelief, we will also look back with tremendous pride on our city and its people and how everyone pulled together to get through it.

As for our part, as a council providing vital services to residents and particularly the most vulnerable members of our community, we have robust plans in place to keep services and support going in an emergency situation.

These have swung into action and colleagues are working tirelessly to keep critical services operating at the front line, backed up by all that needs to happen behind the scenes.

With a pandemic such as this, the challenges are much increased compared with other emergency incidents because it affects our workforce directly and significant numbers of our people and their families may become ill themselves.

So first and foremost, our priority since the planning for this crisis began has been safeguarding our employees’ health, advising them how to take good care of themselves and their families and ensuring those who are vulnerable to this virus are taking all the necessary precautions.

We are clear on every colleague’s situation on a daily basis and are prepared to redeploy teams where necessary – and this is going to be necessary.

Scientists predict today that infection levels will reach their peak in the UK in two – three weeks, so we have to be ready – and we will be ready – to keep critical health and social care and environmental services going and any other service that must continue in order to keep Sunderland’s residents safe and supported.

What I would say is that this isn’t just going to happen, every day there is a deluge of guidance and legislative changes to digest and respond to, with incredible amounts of

work to do and daily, urgent decisions needed on HR, training, health and safety, finance, legal requirements and the specific, and in some cases acute, needs of individuals in our care and those who rely on us.

We must therefore as Council, enable this to happen, in a fast moving and constantly changing situation,relying on the expertise of our senior officers to act quickly and make decisions where they need to.

I have no doubt that by agreeing to the amended delegation powers as requested this afternoon, to be exercised when time is of the essence as in all other councils up and

down the land, we will be saving people from difficulty, suffering and hardship.

We will get through this and emerge the stronger for it in time as a city, if we all work together and look after one another, and I thank you all, sincerely, for your support.

This is not about politics, this is about people and health.