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"Councils in England face an overall funding gap that is expected to exceed £5 billion 2020. Faced with ongoing and significant funding pressures, the LGA said councils will struggle to maintain current subsidies for bus routes across the country."

Vital public health services such as drug and alcohol treatment, early years and school aged support, weight management and sexual health services need urgent investment in the Spending Review if the country is to fully recover from the effects of the pandemic, councils say today.

Six out of 10 retailers in some areas are breaking the law on underage knife sales with councils warning that a lack of funding for enforcement activity will make tackling the knife crime epidemic a huge challenge.

"The proposals risk having an adverse impact on local roads, increasing traffic, and pumping out more carbon emissions and making air pollution worse."

Long term investment in public sport and leisure facilities is key to supporting efforts to tackle health inequalities exposed by the pandemic, councils say today.

Early support hubs which allow young people to access mental health support without referrals should be made available nationwide to help tackle a rise in mental health issues during the pandemic.

“Investing in local places is in the national interest and one of the most powerful tools of the levelling up agenda. We call on the Government to ensure that the Spending Review provides both long term certainty and greater levels of funding for local councils.”

COVID-19’s expected long-term health impact needs to be recognised in future public health and social care planning.

Only 15 per cent of adults say they are making plans for how they will pay for care they might need in the future.

Millions of people living in rural England are at risk of being “left behind” and missing out on their fair share of future prosperity following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, council leaders warn today.