William Eichler 31 March 2023

Austerity undermined local response to COVID-19, study finds

Austerity undermined local response to COVID-19, study finds image
Image: Cryptographer/Shutterstock.com.

The hollowing-out of local capability by a decade of cuts left local government struggling to cope with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study says.

Published by Oxford University, the report says that by July 2020 the Government had set aside a national approach to the pandemic and began to rely on a more localised management of outbreaks.

However, English councils did not have the ‘infrastructure, capabilities, data or governance frameworks’ to execute a localised approach effectively because of the preceding decade of cuts.

The study, titled Crisis preparation in the age of long emergencies, also found that a lack of financial certainty for councils around funding for the extra costs incurred during the early stages of the pandemic undermined the local response.

The report also highlighted that a lack of trust from central Government in local capabilities – as was evident with the setting aside of local contact-tracing capabilities, for example – was also a problem.

‘Local capacity was not as strong as it needed to be, and where it existed, was not understood or properly valued centrally,’ according to the report.

The attempt at variable localised management of COVID-19 was destined to fail.’

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Adults Social Worker - Mid Essex

Essex County Council
£37185 - £50081 per annum
Register your interest here to be notified of upcoming Social Worker opportunities within Essex County Council's Adult Social Care services in Mid Es England, Essex, Chelmsford
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Project Support Officers

Durham County Council
Grade 10 £38,220 - £41,771
Two exciting Project Support Officer – SEND opportunities have arisen within our Home to School Transport team. One role is permanent and the other a Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Cleaner

Durham County Council
£24,796 pro rata
Cleaner Grade 1 £24,796 pro rata 12.5 hours per week, whole time Permanent Required as soon as possible The children, staff, and governors of Chester Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Class Teacher

Durham County Council
£37,101 - £45,352
Class Teacher  M3-M6 £37,101 - £45,352 Full Time, Whole Time Temporary – required to cover maternity leave from Monday 5th January 2026 until the date Newton Aycliffe
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Lunchtime Supervisor

Durham County Council
£24,796 pro rata
Lunchtime Supervisor Grade 1  £24,796 pro rata 6.25 hours per week, term time only Permanent Required as soon as possible  The Governors of St Oswald Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council
Linkedin Banner