Levelling up means “empowering local government” and “allowing communities and councillors to take back control”, the new communities secretary said today
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Councils are bending the vaccination priority rules to ensure key workers get Covid jabs as soon as possible, LGC has learned.
One director of public health told LGC that many places were carrying out “a very small local fudge” to get vaccinations for priority key workers, such as those working in early years settings.
Some of these priority groups were being put on the list of recipients for vaccinations of those working in social care, while their council had a “call-up priority list for end-of-day vaccinations that would otherwise go wasted”, they said.
Frontline health and adult social care workers are in priority group two for vaccination, meaning they will have been offered jabs. However, some in local government believe other key workers such as those working in children’s social care and emergency services should also be given a high priority.
As the government prepares to announce its plan for easing lockdown, what are the key priorities for local government? The following comments from senior figures in the sector come from LGC interviews and recent public statements.
Andy Burnham (Lab), mayor, Greater Manchester CA
“Regarding the release from lockdown, it remains a very firm Greater Manchester view that we should see a national phased approach. We do not want to see any return to the regional or sub-regional tiers, which we do not believe worked, and were confusing and divisive. Our call on the government is to do that.
“We think there is a case for the government looking again at the use of the mass vaccination centres as we go into the next phase of vaccination. Many people are choosing to use their local vaccination centre. Consequently, the use of our mass vaccination centre has dropped to below 50%, and much lower than that on some days.