Living in the midst of a global crisis, there is some light. Amid the tragedy of human loss, the restrictions, the economic devastation, the uncertainty and the isolation there are moments of kindness, selflessness and ingenuity that are genuinely inspirational.
The public has volunteered in droves. Communities have stepped up to help their neighbours.
Frontline workers – from healthcare to retail – have done an extraordinary job, risking their own heath to keep us safe – from carers to refuse workers, public health people to emergency planners, communications people, crematorium staff and senior leaders. Local government has never ever professed to be perfect, but in every council, staff and members are working round the clock to protect the sick and vulnerable, support people through death, grief and financial hardship, and plan for economic recovery.
This week, the world has woken up to care homes and the unseen death toll to come. Care workers – who were, just weeks ago, branded low-skilled and low-paid – are now being recognised for their work on the frontline.
The COVID-19 crisis has pulled people together – and then there is the TaxPayers’ Alliance.
Like the notion of self-serving sloths who stockpiled loo roll, stripping supermarket shelves of stock, the TPA’s rich list overshot the zeitgeist by a mile. While the nation looked to help thy neighbour, the dubiously-funded TPA whined about salaries.
In a piece of research that is as ill-informed as it is ill-judged, the TPA implies a pay cut on senior salaries could be used to cut council tax for all. Maths may not be its strong point.
While local government has rushed to the aid of the vulnerable, the TPA too has been industrious. The rich list was not the only report of the week – it also produced a list of handy hints on how to cut costs, such as ‘stop non-essential spending’ and ‘use cheaper software’. It is inane drivel, from an organisation out of step with reality and desperate to spread half-truths.
For those who did take the advice of the TPA, using reserves to fund council tax cuts, the consequences may now start to show. Yet it is still peddling the same tired old drivel.
Sometimes it is not about the money, it is about the value. Local government is currently at its most valuable.
