Town and parish councils in Milton Keynes call for better covid communication in case of local lockdowns

The borough council is holding a series of meetings to find out what lessons should be learned from the way it has responded so far to the covid-19 pandemic.

Councillors heard that advice about the re-opening of local play areas had been received at 7pm on a Friday, just hours before their re-opening the following day.

“Really, to put that out on a Friday night was not good,” said Castlethorpe parish councillor Philip Ayles who was representing the MK Association of Local Councils.

“Particularly as residents would naturally say as a whole the government says it’s open, we’re just going to use it anyway.

“The parish councillors couldn’t really stand at the entrances and say no, no it’s not ready yet.”

He said the towns and parishes had lost income from the closure of sports grounds and swimming pools and they could have been provided with guidance on who to approach for help.

Cllr Ayles said he recognised with “due humility” that the issue was a lower priority compared to public health and care homes.

But he told Wednesday’s meeting of the covid-19 task and finish group that the 48 towns and parishes in MK could help tell residents what is happening.

Cllr Ayles said he has asked the borough for information on the location of covid cases so the parishes can ramp up their local alerts to residents

He said he has seen examples in Castlethorpe parish of people not following the guidance.

“If we knew there were some cases or a case of covid actually occuring in our parish then the parish council might ratchet up the attention that residents are giving,” he said.

And Cllr Jenni Ferrans (Lib Dem, Monkston) said for local lockdowns that kind of communication was “absolutely appropriate.”

The committee agreed with Conservative group leader Cllr Alex Walker (Stantonbury) who wants MK Council to look at communication with parishes “with immediate effect.”

The committee is also considering its other recommendations, which are due to be published later this year. It is due to meet again on August 19.