The military could be called in to deal with the coronavirus outbreak and May’s elections could be affected, a meeting has heard.

Middlesbrough Council’s Corporate Affairs and Audit Committee has heard that the coronavirus outbreak “might get to a point where we have to call in the military”.

Councillors also heard that this May’s scheduled Tees Valley Mayor and Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner elections are “under active consideration” as part of government strategy to delay the outbreak.

Middlesbrough Council’s strategic director for finance, governance and support services, James Bromiley, told the committee that the situation was constantly evolving and therefore government response required an element of adaptation as well as planning.

“I think this situation as described is covered in principle by the plans that we’ve got for an emergency response for a major incident,” he said.

“Clearly it is a situation that is evolving day by day, so there’s an element in which we have to react to that and adapt the plan to what’s happening.”

Esther Mireku, consultant in public health, said the outbreak could reach a stage that would require the involvement of the military.

“At the moment we haven’t reached the stage where we might have to close schools,” she said. “The Government might say that we close down schools and we don’t allow any big public events.”

She added: “We’re learning and adapting and responding as things are changing on a daily basis, literally.

“Every morning something new comes in place and we’d have to drop basically everything to respond to that – but that’s the nature of medical emergencies.

“It might get to a point where we have to call in the military if the need arises.

“The way medical emergencies work, for me personally having worked in the military and being a medical doctor as well, I know it gets to that point where, if you have to call in the military to support us, they would.”

Elections could be affected – plans in place for council staff to work from home to keep services active

Cllr Brian Hubbard asked if the outbreak would have any effect on May’s Tees Valley Mayor and Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner elections.

Mr Bromiley said: “They are under active consideration at the moment.

“We’ve been asked the question as to what the implications would be. We’re currently considering that at the moment.”

Committee chairman, Cllr Jon Rathmell, asked if the council had provisions in place to help delay the spread of the virus such as making staff work from home.

Mr Bromiley said: “The business continuity plan includes that kind of scenario where we ensure that there are enough people who can work agile to continue the business of the council.

“We have not considered revisiting that principle at the moment because we’re not in that situation yet – but we might get to that situation and we will react to that situation as and when we get to it.”

Mr Bromiley told the committee that the council’s response was very much in line with what was coming from central Government.

“A lot of the communication here is coming from national Government,” he said. “We’re being told this is how you’re going to work, through the NHS and through Public Health England.

“It’s quite a command and control environment.”

Cllr Hubbard asked if any financial assistance had been given to the council by central government to help deal with the outbreak.

Ms Mireku said: “At this particular point in time there hasn’t been finance given to the council, no. What might happen is that PPE (personal protective equipment) materials might be given to the council, but no money so far has been given to the council, no.”

Esther Mireku, consultant in public health, told the committee the UK Government’s action plan involved four main steps.

Contain: Early detection and tracing contacts to help prevent the spread “as long as reasonable”. This can involve legal powers for quarantine, a general aircraft and maritime declaration and guidelines to the public and health staff.

Delay: Slowing down the spread

Research: Understanding the virus and actions to lessen its effect through vaccines and medications etc

Mitigation: Treatment and care for those who become ill