Title

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Video conferencing has boosted partnership working

Use of video conferencing is helping local councils to achieve more, and the convenience factor is bringing many benefits for partnership working, says Michael Bracey.

Put your little yellow hand up if you like a break from all those Teams calls. Or whatever you do on Zoom. Because for most of us it seems like the last few months has been one very, very long video conference.

No-one now can explain why, when we had the technology, we hardly used it. But since we've had little choice, we've somehow managed to make it work – with apparently no need for hours of training or drawn out implementation project plans.

Of course, it's not perfect (is it that hard to get your whole face in the shot?) but the way we're using it is evolving very fast. I've certainly chaired some much better meetings recently. They're becoming better organised, more focused and most important of all, quicker. And you still don't need to find £2 for the parking. Or to allow 40 minutes to get there and back.

It's probably that convenience factor that makes this a really interesting development, especially when it comes to enabling multi-agency work.

We've seen lots of benefits when it comes partnership working. For example, in children's services we're finding that using video conferencing is leading to improved participation in special educational needs review meetings – especially from our health colleagues. Joining a video call from the surgery, police station or school is always going to be a lot easier over the internet than traipsing to the town hall.

Like the mystery of why it's taken a pandemic for us to get into video conferencing, I don't know why we ever thought trying to get colleagues from a whole range of different agencies from all across a city or county together in the same room was ever going to be anything other than really difficult.

We're all busy. Video conferencing helps us do more. Or maybe it removes the reason (or excuse) colleagues might have used to not participate. Whatever it is, it's working. Why would we go back?

Michael Bracey is chief executive of Milton Keynes Council

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Reorganisation, Reform and devolution

By Ann McGauran | 02 October 2025

Change is rippling through local government, from structural reform and new combined authorities, to health integration and the push for financial sustainabi...

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Stability, partnership and delivery

By Sir James Cleverly | 02 October 2025

As delegates prepare to head to the Conservative party conference, Sir James Cleverly highlights the pressures councils face on asylum, funding, housing and ...

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Technology and bold thinking – a winning combination

By Tim Farr | 02 October 2025

In today’s climate, organisations have to be resilient, adaptive and forward-looking in order to survive. And the right leadership is vital to enable this mo...

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

The essential role of agencies in council's recruitment and retention

By Cieran Donnelly | 02 October 2025

At a time of ongoing change, temporary staff can fulfil a vital role in maintaining the high performance of your organisation – and strategic agency partners...

Popular articles by Michael Bracey