A report has identified 59 things the council could do better in the next pandemic.
And there are likely to be more recommendations as Milton Keynes Council’s covid-19 task and finish group enters the second phase of its in-depth investigations.
The tone of Wednesday’s meeting of the scrutiny management committee was a positive one for the council as members lined up to praise the way the emergency was handled.
Councillors were particularly impressed by the way the council created a local centre for personal protective equipment, which they say was a nationally leading scheme.
“At this stage,” the interim report says, “the overall conclusion is that the emergency has been handled well, both by the council and generally by most of its partners/contractors.
“However, there are a number of specific instances where witnesses felt things could have been handled better.”
The report says there appeared to be “little overall co-ordination of the volunteers” which led to confusion over which organisations offering help were reliable and safe, or scams.
This, the report says, was a cause of “frustration and disillusionment for many.”
Communications between suppliers, parish councils and others have also been earmarked as an area for improvement.
And the report says there needs to be more co-ordination with suppliers over the use of furlough to make sure that services can continue to be delivered if and when employees are mothballed.
Councillors on Wednesday added items to the list for the task and finish group – chaired by Cllr David Hopkins (Cons, Danesborough & Walton) – to include.
Cllr Nigel Long (Lab, Bletchley West) said: “Disabled children were not catered for sufficiently. Special educational needs and disability children were not covered at all.”
Cllr Hopkins agreed that it was an omission that needed to be added to the final report.
Conservative leader Cllr Alex Walker (Stantonbury) said that his main opposition group of councillors had been “blocked” from learning about key council decisions.
A Financial Authorisation Board (FAB) was created behind closed doors where council officers made key spending decisions.
These were held in the presence of Labour leaders, and Lib Dem Cllr Robin Bradburn (Bradwell).
Cllr Bradburn welcomed the FAB and has said he was there because of his position as chair of the budget scrutiny committee.
But Cllr Walker said: “My issue with it was always about the political dimension, with cabinet members and Cllr Bradburn, but the outright rejection and blocking of the main opposition to observe or even receive briefings.
“I don’t disagree with officers being able to make quick decisions – I think we need to be careful about the political dimensions and should be cautious going forward.”
Cllr Walker added that there was cross party working during the tightest lockdown period, which he said was “very welcome.”
The task and finish group is set to hold four more evidence gathering sessions before completing its report in early November and presenting it to the full council by the end of that month.
