Local government has delivered during the pandemic – and could do so much more with the right funding.
The date has been set for the LGA’s second #CouncilsCan Day – an online celebration to highlight the local government heroes of this pandemic.
Councillors and local authority staff are being encouraged to tell the world what they’re doing to keep their communities running during this crisis by using the hashtag #CouncilsCan on social media during the day-long campaign – running from 7am to 7pm on Tuesday 10 November.
The LGA will be providing councils with communication resources to help promote the day locally and join the national conversation.
In this time of national crisis, it is council staff and elected members who have kept our communities running and provided crucial local leadership.
Councils have moved at pace, used innovative approaches and worked flexibly to set up completely new services to support the most vulnerable; reshaped and redesigned services such as waste collection to keep them going virtually unaffected; and are central to the economic support provided to residents and businesses.
Central government and local communities trusted them, and they delivered.
Highly valued council services have been absolutely crucial to the COVID-19 response. All across the country, councils have protected lives and livelihoods, and kept their communities running.
While showcasing this vital and fantastic work, the LGA will be using #CouncilsCan Day to highlight that councils can have an even greater impact on the health and wealth of our country with proper and sustainable funding.
It is councils who know their local areas best and must be central to efforts to level up the stark inequalities that have been exposed by the pandemic. Tackling the significant economic challenges ahead is a huge task that will see different areas of the country needing a unique response in the coming months and years.
“Central government and local communities trusted councils, and they delivered”
The LGA’s submission to the Government’s Spending Review sets out how bringing power and resources closer to people is the key to improving lives, tackling deep-set inequalities and building inclusive growth across the country.
Councils stand ready to provide local solutions to the national challenges we face. For this to happen, the LGA says the Government needs to use the Spending Review to radically re-think public spending in a way that is fit for the future and empowers councils to deliver on the ambition for our communities that central and local government share.
It’s disappointing, therefore, that the Government has announced its Spending Review will only be for one year rather than three, making it difficult for councils to plan ahead.
The ambition of councils goes way beyond just maintaining services the way they are today.
They want to create new hope in our communities and with the right funding and freedoms, councils can improve the lives of their residents, develop a green recovery, address skills gaps and rebuild the economy so that it benefits everyone.