THIRD SECTOR

Pandemic made councils 'more responsive' to charities, survey finds

The pandemic has helped improve the relationships and collaboration between local authorities and charities, according to new research.

The pandemic has helped improve the relationships and collaboration between local authorities and charities, according to new research.

More than half of charities surveyed said local authorities had become ‘more responsive' to their needs during coronavirus.

A quarter said their relationship with local authorities had improved during the pandemic, with 36% saying they had increased their engagement with local authorities in the past year.

However, the research also found smaller organisations were more likely to report a deterioration in their relationship with the local government sector.

Head of networks and influencing at National Council for Voluntary Organisations, Alex Farrow, said: ‘While more than half of the organisations we surveyed saw an improvement in their relationship with local government, with the pandemic making local authorities more responsive it's clear that this is not universal and that lots of smaller charities have not seen an improvement.

‘We're concerned about the level of funding local authorities will have to sustain engagement and rebuild communities in the months and years ahead.'

THIRD SECTOR

ADCS Conference: £53m for new DoL placements

By Ann McGauran | 10 July 2025

The Government has allocated £53m to create 200 new council-run placements for children deprived of their liberty, a minister announced today.

THIRD SECTOR

WLGA defends councils over Covid funds

By Martin Ford | 10 July 2025

The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) has defended the role of councils in distributing social care funding during the Covid pandemic.

THIRD SECTOR

EXCLUSIVE: Resilience warning over shelter and evacuation plans

By Dan Peters | 10 July 2025

Emergency shelter and evacuation plans may be insufficient in a worst-case scenario crisis, Local Resilience Forums (LRF) have admitted in a Government survey.

THIRD SECTOR

Devo Bill to reintroduce supplementary vote in blow to Reform

By Dan Peters | 10 July 2025

The supplementary vote system will be reintroduced to elect mayors in a move that is expected to reduce the chances of success for Reform UK.

Popular articles by Laura Sharman