On Sunday (19 December) the Mayor of London declared a 'major incident' in the capital following a surge in the number of people testing positive for the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, of which London has the highest number of any region.

A major incident is defined as an event or situation with a range of serious consequences which requires special arrangements to be implemented by one or more emergency responder agency.

Responding to the announcement the Chair of London Councils, Georgia Gould, said: "The rapid spread of Omicron across our city is of huge concern.

"Local councils have stepped up and played a vital role in supporting their communities through the pandemic, I know they will continue with these efforts but we cannot do this alone.

"Vaccines offer the best protection against the virus and now more than ever it’s important that Londoners take up the offer to get a booster as soon as possible. If you’ve not had your first and second dose yet, please do come forward and protect yourselves and others around you. Together we must do all we can to defeat this virus.”

The Chancellor yesterday announced a new £1 billion package of support for businesses most impacted by Omicron.

Businesses in the hospitality and leisure sectors in England will be eligible for one-off grants of up to £6,000 per premises and more than £100 million discretionary funding will be made available for local authorities to support other businesses.

The Chancellor also announced that the government will cover the cost of Statutory Sick Pay for Covid-related absences for small and medium-sized employers and that an additional £30 million funding will be made available through the Culture Recovery Fund to enable more cultural organisations in England to apply for support during the winter

Further details on the Covid-19 economic support package are available in these factsheets

London Councils has welcomed the government’s launch of the Protect and Vaccinate scheme for people who are homeless and sleeping rough.

Focused on helping rough sleepers to receive their Covid-19 vaccines and to move into safe accommodation over winter, the scheme brings £28 million of additional funding for local authorities across England providing frontline support.

London Councils’ Executive Member for Housing & Planning, Cllr Darren Rodwell said: “Boroughs are working tirelessly to keep homeless Londoners safe, especially in the face of the threat posed by the new Omicron variant. This funding boost will support frontline work getting rough sleepers vaccinated and into emergency accommodation, which is vital for their individual safety and for tackling the spread of the virus in the capital.

“Alongside our partners in the government, at City Hall, and in the voluntary sector, boroughs will do everything we can to make this scheme a success.”

London boroughs are prepared for winter weather with enough salt available at key locations across the capital to deal with the challenge of frozen roads and pavements, the Chair of London Councils Transport and Environment Committee Mayor Philip Glanville reassured Londoners this week.

“Boroughs understand how important it is to maintain road safety, especially at this time of year.", he said. "As winter sets in, boroughs are working flat out to ensure their most important routes are free of frost and ice and safe for road users across the capital. Highway teams continue to monitor high-tech weather forecasts, ready to treat the roads and pavements with salt as soon as conditions demand it. Councils are also committed to keeping people up to date about forecasts, road conditions and salting activity so residents can make appropriate decisions on whether to travel.

“It is also vital for all of us to be more aware when using roads during the darker, winter months. As there are fewer hours of daylight and greater risk of icier roads, road users should make sure to look out for pedestrians as well as other fellow road users such as cyclists and moped riders, and be as safe as possible by observing the speed limit.

“We are also asking that Londoners be extra vigilant throughout the colder months to make sure their neighbours are okay. If you notice milk bottles left outside, newspapers stuck in the letterbox or curtains drawn all day, or any other activity that is out of the ordinary, it could be a sign that someone in your community needs help.”

Around 4,000 Afghan evacuees will still be living in temporary hotel accommodation in London over Christmas and the New Year, figures compiled by  London Councils show.

Five months on since thousands of Afghan families were evacuated to the UK as part of Operation Pitting, boroughs are playing an instrumental role in delivering wraparound support to families living in hotels, including providing new clothing, organising school places for children, arranging mental health support with local NHS services and translating public health advice on issues such as Covid-19.

Deputy Chair of London Councils, Cllr Darren Rodwell, said: “London boroughs are rightly proud of the work they are doing to support thousands of Afghans who served alongside British forces in Afghanistan, as they rebuild their lives following the unimaginable trauma of fleeing their homes.

“Alongside councils across the country, we work closely with the Home Office and other government departments to ensure Afghan evacuees get the care and support they need, putting our local knowledge and resources to use and making a real difference to these highly vulnerable families.

“However, five months on from Operation Pitting, London boroughs want to see faster progress on moving the roughly 4,000 evacuees in the capital into suitable longer-term homes. Hotel accommodation is not suitable for families and local services are struggling to cope with demand.

“We urge the government to continue working constructively with us so that Afghan families feel supported as they put down roots in the UK.”

The London local government Tackling Racial Inequality programme is inviting colleagues from London public, business or voluntary sector to an event: Harnessing our Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority Communities talent, with a panel including: Kim Smith (Chief Executive, Hammersmith & Fulham & Chair, Tackling Racial Inequality Programme); Kim Wright (Chief Executive, Lewisham); Althea Loderick (Chief Executive, Newham); and Dr Habib Naqvi (Director, NHS Race & Health Observatory)

The event (9 February, 15.30 – 17.00) will bring together colleagues across anchor institutions to discuss race equality, with a focus on the strategies, initiatives and broader activity organisations have adopted to harness Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic talent.

Places are limited, so if you are interested in attending  please email Nancy Hunt or Tom Pickup to register your interest in the first instance.

You must wear a face covering on public transport and in shops, unless exempt. Help #KeepLondonSafe