Wakefield Council looks to the future as it sets out recovery plans

​Wakefield Council is working closely with partners and local businesses to plan how the district can best recover from months of lockdown during the coronavirus outbreak.

​The Council has established a Recovery Board to work with partners on how best to restart and diversify the local economy as Government restrictions continue to lift.

The Board will include Wakefield Council, West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, Wakefield Clinical Commissioning Group, Department of Work and Pensions, Wakefield College, Wakefield and District Housing, Mid Yorkshire Chambers of Commerce, NOVA, Citizens Advice Bureau and other business sector representatives. The members will work together to respond to national decisions by the Government over the coming weeks and months, to support the district in its recovery, and formalise the multi-agency work that is already underway.   

Cllr Denise Jeffery, Leader of Wakefield Council, said: “The coronavirus outbreak has resulted in unprecedented changes for my Council and has a huge impact on local residents, businesses and is felt throughout our communities.

“We have been supporting our communities in every way possible during the pandemic and now we must begin to plan our recovery at this time of uncertainty, to make sure this district is best placed to survive and thrive following the crisis.”

Cllr Nadeem Ahmed, Leader of the Wakefield Conservative Group, said: “I’m pleased to work with the Council and partners on how we can best move forward to bring life back into our towns and city, and support local residents and businesses.”

Cllr Jeffery added: “By working together, we can build back better and stronger.”

The board will work together to:

Respond appropriately as Government restrictions lift, and the impacts on Wakefield are better understood

Examine the local impact on employment

Ensure businesses have all they need to continue to operate safely

Identify how best to support business recovery and vulnerable residents

Assess the impact on the visitor economy including the city’s culture, leisure, hospitality, events and night time economy offer, including the challenges associated with social distancing

Sustain confidence in residential and commercial development

Support the financial and social resilience of our communities, to them the confidence to ‘get started’ again.

The first meeting of the Recovery Board will take place on 6 July and the group is expected to continue to meet regularly over the next 12 months.