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“This tragic milestone is a heartbreaking reminder of how many people have lost their lives to this dreadful disease and the terrible toll it has placed on family and friends.”

“Extra funding to fill staff shortages and free up more experienced colleagues to focus on providing care directly will help with the immediate impact of the virus. Social care has been on the frontline throughout the coronavirus pandemic and our dedicated staff rightly need as much support as possible during this incredibly challenging period.”

“To ensure a successful recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, communities need stability and certainty in planning. This can only be achieved through a locally-led, well-resourced planning system where communities have a proper say over developments in their local area."

 “It is good that housebuilding is on the increase again, and that planning permissions were extended earlier in the pandemic to enable developments to continue when safe to do so."

“It is clear that demand for places is significantly higher during this national lockdown, meaning schools have been placed in the invidious position of balancing safe pupil numbers in school with the higher expectations of the delivery of up to five hours a day of lessons online.”

“Vaccinating as many people as possible is the only certain way we can get through this pandemic and it is inspiring to see so many volunteers offer their help alongside frontline staff up and down the country."

“Local knowledge and expertise has proved vital in combating COVID-19 and councils want to work with the Government to develop testing strategies which contain and reduce the virus in every area of the country, and for every section of our diverse communities."

"Councils know their communities best, with nearly 9 in 10 setting up contact tracing teams across the country to work with the national system and successfully find many hard-to-reach cases, while also helping to ensure as many people as possible can get vaccinated."

"Councils will continue to step up to support residents, especially those who are more vulnerable, businesses and education settings."

“The Government needs to go further to help schools pay for the cost of the pandemic. Unless the COVID-19 workforce fund is extended after Christmas, backdated and eligibility for it widened, more schools will have no option but to close after having spent their budgets on supply teachers, which will only serve to exacerbate growing attainment gaps.”