Perth and Kinross Council will focus on delivering “essential services” with staff absences expected to rise as high as 50% in the coming weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The local authority say they will prioritise services such as homelessness, emergency housing repairs, refuse collection, burials and cremations as well as ensuring that pupils are able to access learning while vulnerable children and adults are supported.
The council have brought in the new model with immediate effect and admitted that this may mean a drop in standards of other services as staff shortages begin to take affect.
National modelling estimates councils will see absences of at least 50% in the coming weeks as staff who contract the virus, or live with someone who has it, self-isolate.
Additionally, the decision to close all schools to pupils from Friday will mean some staff will have additional child care responsibilities.
Perth and Kinross Council chief executive Karen Reid said: “These are unprecedented times but we have seen fabulous community spirit across Perth and Kinross as communities pull together to support each other.
“Our staff have also shown amazing dedication to the people they serve, volunteering to take on additional roles and to work longer hours so we can deliver essential services.”
The local authority assured residents they have plans for dealing with major incidents such as flu pandemics which are now being put into operation.
Though the council added that the Covid-19 virus is a worldwide pandemic “to a scale unseen before”.
