Falkirk Council prepares for the ‘new normal’

The fact that recycling collections are resuming is a sign that things are beginning to settle down and adapt to the ‘new normal’, keeping workers safe and services running as well as possible.

For this, Mr Lawrie says the support of the trade unions has been vital and he is grateful for their contribution.

They believe it’s time now to start planning for the recovery – but the coronvirus crisis will undoubtedly leave its mark as we slowly return to this new normal. 

Mr Lawrie said: “There will be people that have been pushed into poverty by what’s happened over recent weeks and really what we need to do is reorientate the council to some degree to make sure that we are responding to what are the greatest needs in our communities.”

And he thinks the crisis has accelerated work that was happening anyway — bringing digital ways of working that won’t change back.

He said: “We’re at the beginning — but over the next few weeks we’ll be shaping that up so we can really establish what the new normal is going to be and how we as a council react and respond in the best possible way to the new circumstances we’ll be operating in.”