As many ‘non-essential’ shops and other businesses in Milton Keynes start to reopen on 15 June, and Government lockdown measures begin to ease, Milton Keynes Council is helping small businesses to reopen safely.
MK Council will be rolling out a public information campaign to remind local people to keep distant when out and about.
Milton Keynes Council has set up an Economic Recovery Taskforce who are working on plans for Milton Keynes under the banner ‘Restart, Restore, Renew’. As part of wider work to support business during the COVID-19 pandemic, MK Council asked a sample of business owners what it could do to help.
As a result, the Council is:
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Sharing a public information campaign, Help MK Control COVID-19.
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Contacting over 2,000 food, licensed and other businesses to give advice about re-opening safely and dealing with unexpected risks.
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Creating free to download material including guidance posters and floor stickers. (available here).
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Setting up a High Street Helpline on 01908 254188 where business owners can call (Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm) for advice on reopening, managing any issues on the public highway and any licensing queries.
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Council staff will be popping in to high street businesses from 15 June to check all is well.
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Publicising businesses that are reopening on the Council’s digital and social channels. You can follow what’s happening by searching #restartMK.
The Council has already distributed over £37m to local businesses in government grant funding, and reduced business rates to over 3,000 companies.
A public information campaign is being timed to roll out as more small businesses reopen. The Help MK Control COVID-19 message (poster pictured) asks people to help stop the spread of the virus by practicing social distancing, washing hands regularly, staying at home if symptomatic, and following the latest Government public health advice, such as wearing a face covering on public transport and getting tested if you’re unwell. It will feature in public places around MK.
Council Leader, Cllr Pete Marland said: “This is just the start of the work of the Economic Task Force, and the support we’ll be giving to local businesses and other groups as a council. Initially our focus was on sharing the short-term funding desperately needed by businesses suffering as a result of the pandemic. We now turn to restarting MK safely, and carefully.
“MK’s businesses will be operating in a new commercial reality. Over the medium term that means looking at what help and advice we give and what the council’s priorities need to be to shore up MK’s economic recovery, and to best help local people who are struggling financially.
“We remain committed to Milton Keynes becoming one of the greenest and most sustainable cities around, and we’ll also be looking at how we do that with renewed imagination.”
