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Locality has published a major report on the response of community organisations to the COVID-19 crisis.

Yesterday a number of national bodies with interests in play NALC (National Association of Local Councils), SLCC (the Society of Local Council Clerks), The Play Safety Forum (PSF), Association of Play Industries (API) & The Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII) met with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to discuss the current government guidance. All involved were delighted by the enthusiasm shown for the provision of play, with it having huge mental and physical benefits to young people particularly at a time when their abilities to enjoy play outside of their homes have been curtailed during the current crisis.

The new funding package for local government must be precisely that, a plan for all tiers of local government, which includes helping local (parish and town) councils impacted through lost income such as car parks, museums, and community and cultural assets.

AUTHOR: DAVID PRESTON, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF NABMA

Markets have been an important feature of many towns for over a thousand years. Currently, there are around 1,150 regular traditional retail markets, and almost 80% of them are operated or licensed by local authorities. But coming out of lockdown this situation might soon change unless local authorities support their markets.

The chairman of the National Association of Local Councils (NALC), Cllr Sue Baxter, has made strong representations directly to a local government minister, Simon Clarke MP, on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on local (parish and town) council finances, urging him to introduce a financial support package.

AUTHORS: IMOGEN SMITH, SENIOR PROJECT OFFICER AT COMMUNITIES PREPARED AND PHILLIP VINCENT, PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER AT ACRE

As the outbreak of COVID-19 has demonstrated, unexpected events can and do happen, threatening the way of life we have become accustomed to. Sometimes the impact on individuals and the services that support them can be severe, with recovery taking months, if not years. This can be particularly felt by rural communities which are typically not well served by public infrastructure and services. In response we - Communities Prepared and Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) - have published a new guide to help rural communities become more resilient to a range of emergencies, from floods to pandemics, by supporting them to plan ahead.