Briefings and responses

The Government made £3.2 billion worth of emergency funding available to councils to address the immediate pressures of the COVID-19 crisis. However, this funding was predominantly targeted towards direct frontline issues such homelessness and supporting the vulnerable. The culture, tourism and support sector still face’s significant funding challenges, despite the Government’s £1.57 billion support package for the cultural sector.

In December 2021, the Committee published the report A national plan for sport, health and wellbeing. The key recommendations to the Government were to develop a national plan for sport, health and wellbeing, featuring a new delivery and funding structure and strengthened monitoring and evaluation metrics.

Libraries are trusted spaces, free to enter and open to all. They provide people with the opportunity to read and learn with a range of books, digital and other resources. The way people use libraries is changing, and councils have a key role in their development as these changes take place, including exploring alternative models of delivery such as trust or community-run libraries.

In order to contribute most effectively, councils need earlier involvement in decisions at a national strategic level, and local government should also have representation on longer-term bodies like the Tourism Industry Council.

We welcomed the findings of the Mendoza Review, but we are concerned that it identified local authority-run and supported museums as most vulnerable to funding pressures.

Financial pressures on local government are limiting the ability of coastal local authorities to regenerate and support their towns. We are calling on the Government to provide long-term, sustainable funding for our seaside towns in the Spending Review.

The sector has taken one of the biggest financial hits due to the COVID-19 crisis. Gaps in support packages alongside the absence of the seasonal boost the industry usually sees over the summer means the impact will be felt in the weeks and months to come, even as social distancing measures are eased.

The arts make a significant contribution to the economy and society. The LGA’s Commission on Culture and Local Government drew together evidence of its contribution to resilient places, economic recovery, social mobility and addressing health inequalities.

While the Government’s £1.57 billion support package for the arts and culture sector was welcome, the sector is still facing significant financial difficulties. Councils face significant additional cost pressures as a result of COVID-19 and this will directly impact council’s ability to fund discretionary services in the culture sector, at a time when the sector is in urgent need of investment.

Throughout the pandemic, councils have provided a lifeline to struggling hospitality businesses by distributing more than £11 billion to 880,000 small businesses in 2020. As the government implements the road map to re-opening, councils will continue helping businesses to re-open safely.