THE Government’s announcement that schools and nurseries should open their doors to more children on June 1 has sparked a big debate. The council’s advice is that schools and early-years providers should reopen only when it is safe to do so – for children, for staff, for their families and for the wider community.

We are all concerned about students missing valuable learning and the number of disadvantaged children who may have fallen behind. However, the Government’s guidance lacks the clarity needed to get schools up and running safely in the timescale given.

It is essential that we listen to the concerns of parents, teachers and trade unions and work closely with schools to get this right. Schools are carrying out risk assessments to put safe practices into place and the council is supporting this important work. We are also asking schools and other providers to keep parents and carers updated.

Please be assured, the council is doing everything we can to make sure all 65 of our fantastic local schools reach the best decisions possible to keep our children safe.

WE now know that close ties with friends and family and an active social life make a massive contribution to good mental health. So it is not surprising that as we ask people not to meet up with their loved ones and to stay at home to protect themselves from the Covid-19 virus, the council is also receiving more requests for help around mental health needs.

The coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown have changed all our lives and brought many challenges. While these lockdown measures are necessary to save lives, for some they bring anxiety and depression from isolation or financial hardship, for others, trauma and distress as a result of illness and bereavement.

Last week was Mental Health Awareness Week and I want to remind people that, if you are struggling, support is available – so please seek it out. You can request help for yourself or someone else through the council’s advice and support hub: https://new.brighton-hove.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19.

The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week was “kindness”, which reminded me of a comment my favourite dinner lady at primary school, Mrs Cook, put in my autograph book – “be happy, be kind”. It’s a phrase that has always stuck with me. Kindness is more important than ever when we are all managing our personal challenges and trying to support others.

Kindness has many benefits – it increases happiness and improves health. It slows the ageing process and improves relationships. And the good news is, showing kindness to others is just as rewarding as receiving it from someone else.

In Brighton and Hove the community spirit is alive and well. More than 1,100 people have already volunteered with Community Works since the start of 2020, which shows how much people want to help others right now.

Why not ask your neighbour if they need anything from the shop or call someone who may be struggling? Listen carefully to your colleagues’ worries or offer time to volunteer.

At the start of the coronavirus crisis the Government organised video calls with council leaders across the country. There were complex and serious issues to be discussed so it was important we were given the chance to submit questions in advance.

The process was productive and I am proud that here in Brighton and Hove we were successful in getting our lockdown message out and that residents have been very much on board with it. Unfortunately, this level of communication is not happening as we come out of lockdown. The only information we had in advance of restrictions easing was the trailing of the Prime Minister’s television broadcast and media speculation.

After Easter, when the Government announced lockdown was to continue for a further three weeks, it set out five tests that had to be met before restrictions were eased. But these tests have not been met, so we were left with no time to plan and no solid information about what is being asked of the council.

For this lockdown to work we need a regionalised approach, and we need a track-trace-isolate policy in place to prevent the spread of the virus. That localised approach should include an understanding of the impact on popular tourist cities like ours of easing lockdown restrictions. It’s clear a one-size-fits-all approach does not work.