Case studies

Recovery planning in Plymouth epitomises the best of local government across the country. It has been driven by inspiring civic leadership working with highly competent officers who have emphasised the importance of place, community and partnership working with the private sector.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a wide-ranging impact on the parks service at Walsall.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, parks proved their status as lifelines for local communities. The loss of external income due to the closure of income generating facilities in parks and the loss of in kind volunteer contributions have left parks services in a vulnerable state.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the parks service at Nottingham City Council.

As in many areas of the country, in summer 2020 East Suffolk Council faced the challenge of helping its town centres trade successfully and safely. This case study summarises the approach adopted through a combination of delivering targeted, practical improvements and continuing to boost the capacity of local town partnerships to deliver long-term town centre revitalisation. 

Archive staff in Gloucestershire worked quickly, using their specialist professional archive skills to set up a system which enabled the scanning and sending of physical post to staff working from home.

Following an extended period of change and significant service disruption due to poor contractor performance, a review of the council’s waste team was undertaken engaging an expert consultant to help determine the future shape and direction of the service.

Leicester never really left lockdown. In late June it had the highest rate of positive cases in the country so just before the re-opening of restaurants, bars and hairdressers on 4 July it was announced the city was to go in reverse.

Faced with high rates of infection in the summer, Calderdale developed a local contact tracing service in partnership with and as part of NHS Test and Trace, which went live in the middle of August.

To support businesses and protect jobs in the face of restrictions and some customer concerns, post-COVID 19 lockdown, Oxford City Council worked with Oxfordshire County Council as the highways authority, and with its hospitality sector to create an on-street outside tables & chairs offer. This successful approach, which has helped safeguard jobs and maintain the vitality of the city centre, has now been extended into the autumn and winter.