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COVID-19 outbreak - councillor guidance

This guidance has been developed to assist elected councillors as councils grapple with the worst public health crisis we have experienced in a century.

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This guidance was last updated on 24 March 2020 to reflect the Government's 'stay at home and away from others' guidance.

As we are in a fast-moving and unprecedented situation, the LGA will continue to update councillors as more information becomes available, through our website and further guidance documents as appropriate.



This guidance focuses on specific issues relevant to councillors’ involvement in our work leading and protecting our communities, as well as in delivering the full range of our normal services. Inevitably, there will be significant changes to how councils manage these responsibilities over the coming months.



This guidance highlights the role that individual ward councillors can play in supporting their communities through these difficult times. More than ever before, our role as civic and community leaders requires us to offer visible, responsible leadership that links community-led support with council structures to help build and sustain our overall resilience. Using social media and other means to link with the neighbourhood support groups that have developed in recent days will be an important part of this.


See also: COVID-19 outbreak: reset and recovery - councillor guidance