Call to leave politics out of local lockdown decisions

The chair of a key group that responds to coronavirus outbreaks in Lancashire has rejected claims that politics is playing a part in decisions about the imposition of local lockdowns.
MP says there is no place for politics in Covid lockdown discussionsMP says there is no place for politics in Covid lockdown discussions
MP says there is no place for politics in Covid lockdown discussions

County Cllr Shaun Turner says that he moved to protect Lancashire's director of public health, Dr. Sakthi Karunanithi, from political pressure from elected representatives attending Lancashire's outbreak management board.

It comes after Preston MP Sir Mark Hendrick wrote to the Prime Minister calling for recommendations on the introduction of additional restrictions - like those which have been in force in the city for more than a month - to be "driven purely by public health advice", rather than economic concerns.

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He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that votes were being held at the outbreak management board on whether to support such recommendations by Dr. Karunanithi on the best way to proceed in areas where cases were rising.

"He is having to explain himself to dozens of elected local people.

"There is nothing wrong with the public health director being held accountable - but it's almost like a vote of confidence.

"It's a distraction...getting other people involved who may have interest, but aren't qualified to make the decisions," said Sir Mark, adding that in Preston's case both he and the city council were united in supporting Dr. Karunanithi.

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Every top-tier council area in the country was ordered by the government to establish an outbreak management board, with the specific intention of providing "political ownership" of responses to a surge in cases.

However, County Cllr Turner said that after the first meeting of the Lancashire board, he had concerns about the potential for a lack of consensus amongst the MPs, council leaders and chief executives invited to the virtual gatherings when their areas were coming under the spotlight for a Covid-19 increase.

"That initial meeting, which one of Sir Mark's team attended, was a little bit fractious - and so since then, we have moved away from any sort of vote.

"Now we start out by accepting that it's Dr. Sakthi's recommendations that will go forward, but I allow comments from the districts and the MPs - based on their local knowledge - to go with his advice.

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"People can still question him, but we are rowing in behind him, because he's got the best data," County Cllr Turner explained.

Dr. Karunanithi's recommendations - and the input from local representatives - are then considered by the Lancashire Resilience Forum, the organisation set up to lead the county's response to coronavirus.

It is that body's so-called "Gold command" - currently County Hall chief executive Angie Ridgwell - who sets out Lancashire's position to the government on whether restrictions should be imposed or relaxed.

County Cllr Turner added: "To stop any pressure being applied to Dr. Karunanithi outside of the meetings, any comments that are formulated at a district level come to him through the chief executive - and we think that's the fairest way to shield him from outside pressure.

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"However, he's very clear that his approach is to balance the needs of the economy with the figures on the virus - that's equally in his remit, because problems in the economy cause further issues like mental health and domestic violence.

"So he's got a real balancing act and we are supporting him."

Responsibility for the arrangements governing Lancashire's outbreak management board rests with the county's longstanding health and wellbeing board, comprising local political, NHS and voluntary sector representatives.

The Department of Health and Social Care was approached for comment.

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