Council staff praised for delivering excellence in face of unprecedented Covid-19 challenges

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has been praised for delivering the majority of the objectives set out in the Corporate Plan throughout the 2019-2020 financial year, in the face of unprecedented challenges from the Coronavirus emergency.

Council’s Progress Report, which can be viewed on our website, measures performance against the 2019-2023 Corporate Plan, which contains six strategic priorities: Sustainable Jobs and Tourism; Our Environment; Community Safety and Cohesion; Learning for Life; Good Health and Wellbeing; and High Performing Council.

Significant achievements have been made in each priority area, with Council’s Rapid Redundancy Response Programme among the highlights.

The innovative response was activated following the announcement that the leading local employer Wrightbus was being placed into administration in September 2019.

Our hugely successful Waste Customer Service, meanwhile, was recognised by Agenda NI as a digital transformation case study of Best Practice in Local Government and continues to lead the way in connecting citizens and services during the ongoing pandemic.

The emergency period of the Coronavirus crisis saw Council having to refocus our priorities with the implementation of our Emergency Plan.

Through flexible and agile working across all staff departments, an incredible £100,000 was delivered to help the most vulnerable people in our borough through the COVID-19 Community Support Grant Scheme, while our tireless #MEAStars employees helped distribute over 2,500 food parcels under the Department for Communities scheme.

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Cllr Peter Johnston, said:

“I am delighted to say that, even with the impacts of the pandemic, the majority of our planned 2019/20 actions have either been achieved or are in progress.

“Council staff have shown incredible flexibility in adapting to the ‘new normal’. Elected members will continue to work together with Council staff to ensure that we continue to deliver the services which matter to our 140,000 citizens across the borough.”

Council Chief Executive, Anne Donaghy, added:

“COVID-19 was undoubtedly the biggest challenge that Council has ever had to face. I am incredibly proud of all my staff for delivering such excellent results in this difficult climate.

“We remain a high performing Council in all areas of service delivery and I will ensure lessons learned from the COVID-19 response are used to transform the way Council works for the future.”

The Corporate Plan and the latest Progress Report can be viewed at www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/corporateplan