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"Councils’ public health teams are using their unique expertise and understanding of their communities to reach those who cannot be contacted by the NHS Test and Trace system, including speaking other languages. These figures show they are having much more success at reaching complex close contacts of positive cases."

"The launch of the NHS COVID-19 app will help residents, visitors and businesses, along with the councils which support them, to keep track of and isolate future outbreaks."

“Councils have been working hard to maintain and expand access to sexual and reproductive health services, both during and prior to the pandemic, despite severe funding pressures."

Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board, responds to Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock’s speech today that Public Health England is to be replaced with the National Institute for Health Protection.

“It is vital that councils are given a key role in coordinating the health and care system, now and in the future. Social care needs to be given parity of esteem with the NHS and any plans to improve pay and rewards to help drive recruitment should focus equally on both."

“Councils need all the tools at their disposal to help with locating and preventing future local outbreaks of coronavirus in their communities.

“Locally-led responses have proven to be the best way to tackle significant outbreaks, which this framework rightly emphasises."

“Council public health teams remain ready to use their unique expertise, including speaking other languages, and understanding of their communities to try to reach those who cannot be contacted by the system."

"Everybody has to play their part in helping to get this pandemic under control. It is good that the NHS Test and Trace system is reaching the majority of those who tested positive and who are passing on details of their close contacts, but it is still concerning that nearly 20 per cent of positive cases cannot be found."

“Council public health teams work hard to help reduce smoking rates in their areas, alongside local charities and community groups, and it is testament to their efforts that smoking rates continue to fall."