Salford has two new cases of coronavirus bringing the total up to 982. After four consecutive days of no new cases there have been five in the last two days, although it is too early to tell whether this is significant.
Salford City Council reveals in a new scrutiny report that, 'behind the scenes', it has been "building an intelligence platform' delivering a 'multiple insights dashboard' for its senior team "to view data on COVID-19 cases, shielded/vulnerable households, deaths in the city, staffing levels, school attendance and requests coming into our help hub". Residents might wish to ask why the Council hasn't been sharing this information with its community...
Meanwhile, as Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett told the full meeting of the Council at its last meeting (see here), a massive £42million virus-related overspend is expected. This latest report predicts a £41.2million shortfall and adds that "If we are unable to manage the pressures, we will be forced to consider service reductions in order to achieve a balanced budget".*
The report concludes that the Council will "do everything we can to avoid issuing a s114 notice". A Section 114 notice stops all new expenditure, with the exception of safeguarding vulnerable people and statutory services. It is only issued where the finances of the council are deemed "unsustainable", ie bankrupt. "...freezing council expenditure in the middle of the crisis could be disastrous for our residents" the Council understates in the report.
Elsewhere in Greater Manchester, confirmed virus cases in Manchester now total 1,740 (up from 1,737), followed by Wigan with 1,233 (up from 1,231), Oldham 1,157 (up from 1,156), Stockport 1,092 (up from 1,090), Bolton 1,060 (up from 1,059), Trafford 884 (down from 885), Rochdale 886 (up from 884), Tameside 881 (up from 874) and Bury 817 (same).
There have been no new virus-related deaths announced at Salford Royal Hospital.
* Other information given in the report includes Government funded additional support to date that Salford Council is administrating but has a zero effect on the shortfall...
Business Grants: £41.7million
Business Rates Relief: £28.5million
Hardship Fund: £3.6million
Test and Trace: £2million
Infection Control: £1.9million
ASC [integrated care] via NHS: £3.9million
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