More than 20 local authorities have contributed to a new ‘playbook’ on economic recovery, commissioned by the LGA.
Local government has stepped up during the pandemic, demonstrating leadership and resilience, and reviving its critical importance to residents in their time of need.
While we must remain vigilant to control the virus and tackle the widening health and income inequality laid bare by the pandemic, we can begin to look forward to a better future.
So, what role should local government play in the recovery?
Legislation in the 1880s and 1890s set up the basic system of local government we have today, and established councils’ core purpose as the improvement of the welfare and wellbeing of their residents and boroughs.
That founding spirit of social and economic place-making and civic leadership has been evident in research commissioned by the LGA that has informed the ‘Local economic recovery playbook’ – a good practice guide on local economic recovery planning for councils.
The desire to ‘build back fairer’ – to support growth that is more inclusive and greener – has come through loud and clear from the consultations.
More than 20 English authorities have been involved in the project – cities, towns and rural areas spanning counties, districts and unitaries. The playbook, due out later this month, contains best practice and local examples to help councillors and senior officers navigate the uncertainties ahead.
“Recovery is a marathon not a sprint, so pace yourself”
While many councils have already published recovery plans, we have learnt that the route ahead through this crisis is not linear. Plans need to be flexible, and adapt to changing circumstances and local and national opportunities as they may arise.
The playbook captures good practice from leading councils and explores the key ingredients to making a good plan and delivering it. Some of the key themes consistently raised by senior local leaders include:
- The critical importance of place-based leadership to develop a shared sense of purpose, bold vision and a framework for action to mobilise local partners and communities.
- Recovery is a marathon not a sprint, so pace yourself, your partners and your plans for the short, medium and long term, with the flexibility to move between these phases.
- Don’t reinvent the wheel: back your existing economic strategy and plans if they address local challenges accelerated by COVID-19, but also look out for new economic opportunities and priorities.
- Make use of all the tools, organisations and people in your communities by giving them an active voice in decision-making and governance – in particular the ‘leaders’ and ‘doers’ who will make change happen.
- Doing the basics really well, such as distributing grants quickly and communicating regularly, builds trust with partners and communities, as well as a sense of momentum and positive sentiment.
The playbook will give you confidence that you are on the right path and prioritising limited resources to have the greatest impact.
With the Prime Minister having set out a roadmap for lifting lockdown restrictions and the Budget taking place after first went to press, now is the ideal time to re-engage partners and revise local recovery plans to put your place in the best position to thrive.
Whatever the challenges and opportunities that emerge, we know that local government leadership will be critical. You will need to translate those policies into practice and develop the plans to build better futures for your communities: you can make it happen.