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“We want to work with the Government to ensure that schools are given the support they need over the immediate term, and this includes urgently placing a temporary pause on academy conversions during this time.

A post-pandemic building boom of 100,000 affordable homes a year is needed to provide housing fit for social care, health and other key workers who have fought coronavirus on the frontline and the families of those who lost their lives, a new report by the Local Government Association sets out today.

“Unfortunately, these new scams are not the first we’ve seen related to COVID-19 and they most likely won’t be the last. Everyone must be vigilant and scrutinise any message claiming to be from the Government, NHS, HMRC, Ofcom or their local authority."

"There are two million veterans across the country and councils provide a range of services that help them and their families, including housing, money advice, employment support and health and wellbeing services."

"The Government has pledged a £5 billion fund for NHS and public services coping with the coronavirus and look forward to seeing the full details."

Crucial data must be shared with councils to make use of their local knowledge and expertise and ensure vital national efforts to track and trace coronavirus succeed, the LGA warns today.

Councils across the country are leading local efforts to support communities through the coronavirus crisis and keep day-to-day services running. This has led to significant unforeseen demands and costs caused by the pandemic – to protect the vulnerable such as older, disabled and homeless people - and in order to continue to keep normal services running, such as bin collections. This is at the same time as councils have seen a large and immediate hit to their income. Many councils use income from fees and charges to fund a range of services, such as leisure and planning services, many of

“Councils are leading local efforts to support businesses as they try and cope with the coronavirus outbreak."

The Government’s “Clipper” system intends to provide a central hub for the supply and distribution of PPE. However, it is yet to be fully up and running following a delay in going live and could take at least another three weeks before it gets up to speed.  Social care workers and other council service staff continue to risk their lives in keeping essential services going, including supporting our elderly and most vulnerable people, due to a chronic lack of masks, gowns, visors, goggles and other life-saving kit. The LGA suggests that councils and local areas could each need access to

Bus services which are vital in getting health and care staff and other key workers to the frontline during the coronavirus outbreak will struggle to survive without emergency rescue funding, the Local Government Association says today. The LGA, which represents councils, is concerned that some bus companies and services will not be able to survive the crisis, as the number of passengers has fallen sharply – in some places 75 per cent - with most people now rightly staying safe at home. It wants to work with government on an emergency funding package for buses and council-run public