Other than in instances of tragedy or scandal, I can’t recall a time when local leaders have been the subject of so much media attention. At every level of government, and in every part of our country, residents have been looking to local figureheads for direction, representation and guidance. There’s nothing in itself new about that, and of course for many council leaders it’s the reality of the job 365 days of the year, every year. That being said, COVID-19 has undoubtedly brought home the importance of local government within the public eye.
From test and trace to community messaging, local authorities are consistently showing themselves to be more adept at managing the key levers that will allow us to get on top of the virus. While I fear that realisation may have dawned on central Government too late to make changes in time for the worst of the second wave, COVID-19 will be among us for some time yet, a reality we need to learn to live with. Although global in nature, the battle against the pandemic is an inherently local one. Making use of their knowledge and contacts, local authorities should now be given the resource and leeway to lead the charge.
To start, that means embarking on a sustained process of full and genuine consultation with councils and local representatives. While I support in principle the tiered system that has been introduced, its implementation so far has left a lot to be desired, both in terms of the evidence base upon which decisions have been taken and in its execution.
I have made no secret of my frustration with the broadbrush approach adopted in places like London, where separate boroughs, on different sides of the city and with completely disparate infection rates, have been lumped together and treated as one and the same. Had authorities such as mine in Bromley actually been consulted, we would have been able to put forward our case and, if nothing else, had the opportunity to hear the Government’s rationale.
In regions across the country – run by councils of all political hues (including some entirely blue) – restrictions have been brought in with little or no prior warning. Decisions of this magnitude must be done by consent, not decree, and I would suggest to colleagues in Government that, were they more transparent about their logic and the means by which they have calculated the support on offer, they would be better able to take local leaders with them and avoid situations like we have seen in Greater Manchester.
In light of how much more we now know about the virus, the imposition of blanket restrictions is, I believe, increasingly hard to justify. Strict measures should be introduced where needed, but doing so in places less affected simply means more businesses going under, more people left anxious or unwell from missed hospital appointments, and more hurt and isolation for those separated from their loved ones. Alternatives do exist, including the sort of hyper-localised interventions we have seen in Germany and elsewhere.
The extra funding announced by the Chancellor on 22 October, a further significant and welcome injection, will take some of the sting away. Many councils will already have frameworks in place to distribute these discretionary grants to leisure and hospitality businesses based on the sterling work they did earlier this year, but guidance and, if necessary, extra resource, should be made available as quickly as possible to ensure the intended recipients receive the funds as swiftly as the Treasury hopes.
In closing, I have three additional points.
First, we need to be far clearer in our messaging. That’s important, both to keep people informed and on side. Creating a tiered system of uniform restrictions to mitigate ambiguity made perfect sense, but I see no wisdom in almost immediately undermining that through the introduction of different rules, like on the opening of gyms, within the same bands. As we have already seen, it simply nurtures resentment.
Second, if the Government tries to keep all the plates spinning itself, don’t be surprised if some quickly break. We need to share the load and look at those areas, like test and trace, where local government can add real value. The stark difference in success rates between the national and local systems speaks for itself. Likewise, the news that some councils are now setting up their own same-day testing services should be met with optimism within the Department of Health and Social Care, not fear.
And third, we must restore trust. Trust between the different tiers of government and trust with each other. With, at the time of writing, cases hitting the highest ever daily figure, we certainly need it.
Sir Bob Neill MP is a former local government minister and is chair of the Commons Justice Committee