Michael Bracey, chief executive, Milton Keynes Council

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH MK COUNCIL SETS THE PACE FOR COVID-19 RESPONSE

Delivering under pressure is business as usual for Milton Keynes Council, explains its chief executive Michael Bracey, alongside senior colleagues involved in its Covid-19 response. Councils roll their sleeves up and get things done, and dealing with a global pandemic is no exception.

A new telephone-led hub was set up

The story starts in February 2020, when rows upon rows of shampoo bottles are laid out on tables ready to be bagged up with toothpaste, socks, deodorant, T-shirts and other essentials. More than 100 British citizens are on their way from Wuhan in China, returning to the UK via a 14-day quarantine at Kents Hill Conference Centre in Milton Keynes. The local team – council, hospital, other partners - have had two days’ notice to prepare for their arrival, and these comfort packages are the tip of the iceberg.

Milton Keynes Council’s early experience of Covid-19 was unusual, but it helped set the pace for what was to follow. Almost overnight, the council stepped up to help vulnerable local people deal with the impact of Covid-19, alongside redesigning itself to protect staff and customers, and keep essential services running.

“Councils aren’t always associated with being fast and flexible. But in reality, we run 250 services that respond to changing circumstances all the time. We know how to get things done and we’re connected to people and communities in lots of useful ways,” explained Michael.

“This is why we can organise resources to distribute £58m in Covid-19 business funding and ramp up public health support to control local outbreaks without taking our eye off the other essential ways we serve local people, whether that’s building a new school or helping 150 people out of street homelessness.”

Head of HR Musrat Zaman continued: “We quickly redeployed teams whose usual roles had been paused. Some took on the task of getting essential medicine and groceries to people who were shielding, and we also helped a local Food Bank expand its offer, by creating a new warehouse and arranging thousands of deliveries. We repurposed buildings, for instance turning the central library into a rapid test centre for key

workers, and our former Saxon Court offices are now a mass vaccination centre.” The council put in new measures to protect its workforce and customers. Around half the council’s staff are based at facilities such as children’s centres, in residents’ homes, or elsewhere around the borough, and each service was reviewed ‘AROUND 70,000 with new protections added such as PPE and booking systems.

PEOPLE NOW Practical steps underpinned

FOLLOW OUR cultural changes, said Bee Lewis,

UPDATES’ head of property and facilities: “We restricted the number of users of the Civic, as well as removing some workspaces from use, and limited numbers in meeting rooms. We encouraged good behaviours like mask wearing, washing hands and wiping desks through messages over our PA system, and clear posters and floor stickers which we also made available to local businesses.”

Musrat Zaman, head of HR, and Michael Bracey, chief executive, with Bee Lewis, head of property and facilities (joining on the TV)

A new telephone-led hub was set up to help customers who would usually visit MK Council’s main office building the Civic, and a planned rollout of Microsoft Teams was fast tracked, enabling office-based staff to work from home and stay in touch via virtual meetings.

Many changes will continue beyond the pandemic because they’ve added value to how the council works; not least its increased use of video to communicate with staff, stakeholders and residents. A former meeting room at the Civic has been turned into a studio, where formal council meetings can be livestreamed, virtual events held for customers, and video messages recorded with a greenscreen backdrop that’s recently stood in as a fake QVC set (to promote shop local messages) and even outer space (as part of the council’s Make Space social distancing campaign).

Michael said: “Around 70,000 people now follow our updates, and if our material is compelling, it’s spread more widely. Our stakeholder videos are now watched by more than 800 people, far more than would have read a newsletter all the way through.”

“Everyone is busy and has distracting demands on their time. Video is memorable and concise, so can cut through the noise. You can also show things that most people wouldn’t get to see themselves, such as behind the scenes at our rapid test centre. “It helps to bring what we’re doing to life, as well as showing the human face of the council.

“We’ll keep this momentum going through MK’s economic recovery and beyond.”

If your business needs information or support due to the pandemic, visit www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/coronavirus

FACTFILE: MILTON KEYNES COUNCIL

COMPANY BACKGROUND: A product of the new towns movement in 1967, today Milton Keynes is one of Britain’s fastest growing places, with a global reputation for smart city projects from delivery robots to electric cars. Milton Keynes Council has served as MK’s unitary authority since 1997, when it took on services previously run by Buckinghamshire County Council.

COMPANY DESCRIPTION: The council runs more than 250 services from waste collection to highways maintenance. Around two thirds of the council’s £200m budget goes into care and support for vulnerable adults and children.

JOINING THE CHAMBER: MK Council has been a member of the Milton Keynes Chamber of Commerce for five years. Intelligence from its members helps to shape local policy. Recently, the Chamber has been a key partner in framing MK Council’s £2.25m Covid-19 Economic Recovery Plan.