Local government must be central to national coronavirus planning

It’s always been the case that our councils are the first line of defence. As the nation faces the most serious public health crisis in a generation, that role has renewed meaning. I know our public services workers across the country will show themselves to be true heroes, and they will be asked to do things and go to lengths we can only imagine.

Nationally, we are faced with mixed messages, confused briefings and a lack of coordination. But much of the response will be coordinated locally, and councils will be central to that. I am concerned that already overstretched staff will be taking a burden so great it may further expose the impact of ten years of cuts. I also worry that central government do not fully understand the practical steps needed to ensure local services meet public demand at this most difficult time.

So it is important to support our local leaders and hear first-hand how it feels on the ground. I am hugely grateful for the leaders and cabinet members from across the country who took the time to take part in a telephone conference yesterday. It was invaluable. The contribution being made in our communities by the 6,000+ Labour councillors all over the UK is more important now than ever before. There was a clear theme that ran through the discussion: the importance of strong local leadership, supporting and defending those most in need, and thinking about the practical solutions that can be delivered.

Our public sector workers are ensuring that the most vulnerable are given the support they need, and that must be reflected in a new longer term settlement. Our social care workers should be placed with the same respect, decent pay and comparable career progression as their counterparts in the NHS.

When we talk about frontline workers and key staff, we should include all the local government workforce. It has gone unnoticed that spending on emergency planning has been slashed from £59.9m to £37.3m since 2010, and I’d imagine those staff were considered to be ‘back office’ for much of that period. The truth is that we have a collective public service family, each supporting one another to give our communities the support they need.

It’s the same with education. While the past decade has been spent undermining the role of councils in education, it is the very same councils who will now step up to support schools following the closures that are due to take effect next week.

There is still very little clarity over how the government’s schools announcement will work in practice – how children will continue to learn, how assessment will be handled in the absence of exams and how the key workers list will operate. Councils need much greater certainty on these issues to enable them to plan effectively.

We also need much more focus on how working people will be supported to stay afloat. That’s why yesterday I set out proposals for a national income guarantee scheme to protect the incomes of all workers and those who are made unemployed.

In the same way that businesses and workers will struggle with cashflow, many of our councils will also be planning for the impact of what may follow. Councils are not certain whether local people will be in a position to actually pay their bills, and it is central government that needs to step up and ensure that councils do not lose vital revenue.

Of course, it’s not just that councils need to focus on keeping public services going. They will be standing with local people, and coordinating community volunteering with their local groups. They will be the first port of call when local people and businesses need help and advice, and they will show the leadership required to give confidence that we will get through this and face the rebuilding together.

It’s the role of the opposition to work in the national interest. We will be asking the appropriate questions, and demanding that government speaks with one clear voice and properly follows through on its announcements. Local government must be central to national government planning.

With only weeks to go before the end of the Labour leadership election, I am also determined to make sure that my actions support my message. I don’t want you to stand behind me, but alongside me. We are a team. I mean that now, and I will continue in that spirit if I am fortunate enough to be successful in this contest.