Learning lessons Covid-19: what next? Dave Pye, consultant at Capital Traffic Management and Parking, and BPA individual member representative, on learning lessons and planning for recovery ur industry is one of only a handful that directly affects the daily lives of every person and business. We never please everyone, instead we focus on finding the right balance between very different priorities and pressures. Covid-19 forced our profession to find a totally new operating model within a few days. Local authorities and private operators came together in a way that had never been seen before. Throughout the emergency response, I have been working with three local authorities. Here are some of the experiences from each. O within minutes, similar experiences were reported from other areas, and options for new deployment plans were compared and critiqued. A manual process for key worker permits was quickly updated to an online portal, reducing the reliance on frontline resources and providing an improved customer experience. Sharon Harrington, head of service at Southend Borough Council, faced the additional pressures of managing an area with an inviting seafront. Throughout the lockdown, she has worked to find innovative solutions to stop visitors flocking to Southend. A significant Covid-19 forced our profession to find a totally new operating model within a few days Share, dont despair Between the three local authorities I work with, we went back to basics. We created a closed WhatsApp group, which we used throughout the emergency response to share what actions we were taking, and as a sounding post for ideas or issues particularly when news came in of the first verbal and physical attacks on civil enforcement officers (CEOs). Anita Haylock-Roeleveld is parking contracts manager at Royal Borough of Kingston. Early on, she received calls about the attacks on frontline staff from NSL. Updating WhatsApp, Individual BPA membership Did you know the BPA offers an individual member status too? More importantly, did you know that the first year is free to those who meet the entry criteria? Even though much of the fanfare for the BPAs 50th year has been cancelled, we can still make it a great year by ensuring membership benefits are felt by those on the front line. Visit britishparking.co.uk/BPAMembership-for-Individuals 20 britishparking.co.uk PN May20 pp20-21 Dave Pye Feature.indd 20 23/04/2020 15:05