BOSSES at Bury Council have approved a 10-point plan to help the borough recover and prepare for the future following the coronavirus lockdown.

The proposals focus on the next six months and aim to keep the infection under control and support residents and businesses through the recession.

The ten points are:

• Summer provision for our children

• No rough sleepers

• The Bury opportunity guarantee

• Anti-poverty strategy refresh

• Year of Culture

• Health and care recovery

• Backing Bury businesses

• Working well

• Economic recovery strategy

• Championing the borough’s key workers

More specific details on how the points will be enacted are expected in the coming days.

The announcement comes as new rules on social gatherings have been introduced in Greater Manchester to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

From today people in Bury will not be permitted to mix with other households (apart from those in their support bubbles) in private homes or gardens.

More information on these rules is available here.

Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, leader of the council, said: “The coronavirus lockdown has brought unprecedented challenges – to individuals, to our public services, and to our economy.

“Now we need an unprecedented plan to bounce back – to keep people healthy, protect people’s jobs and businesses, make sure our children get the education they deserve, and ensure the future prosperity of our borough.”

Bury Times: Bury Council leader, Cllr Eamonn O'BrienBury Council leader, Cllr Eamonn O'Brien

Bury Council says the core of its 10-point plan will be a Bury Opportunity Guarantee.

This promises that support will be available to all residents and 'no one will be left behind'.

Cllr O’Brien explained that the measures have been drawn from the borough's experience in confronting the coronavirus.

He continued: “The community hubs we set up have played a crucial role in bringing together a huge number of local organisations and volunteers, united in helping the most vulnerable in our society through the worse of the pandemic. We’ll be building on all that work to do much more.

“Similarly, our creation of town centre boards in each of our townships has brought local businesses together in new ways, and playing a key role in planning for our local economy.

"That gives us a solid base on which to get everyone back in business.

“We’ll be taking more moves to improve people’s health and wellbeing: the healthier we are, the better chance we have of avoiding the worst effects of any second wave in the virus, especially as we approach winter.”

He added: “Dealing with the virus has cost public services a huge amount of money, so we need to find new ways of working to maintain crucial services, especially in the coming few months.

“This crisis has shown us how we can all pull together, and why we need to continue with that community spirit.

"This plan will focus on the most vulnerable but also aim to ensure that no one in our borough is left behind.”

The local authority is also working closely with businesses and has been holding weekly meetings with the Bury Business Leaders Group since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Andy Roberts, chair of the Bury Business Leadership Group, said he believed this put the group in a 'good position' to support the design and delivery of the 10-point plan.

He added: “It is essential that the local business community, who are key to the borough’s economic recovery, are a significant contributor to any plans designed to support the community to recover from this Covid situation."