Title

THIRD SECTOR

Pandemic made councils 'more responsive' to charities, survey finds

The pandemic has helped improve the relationships and collaboration between local authorities and charities, according to new research.

The pandemic has helped improve the relationships and collaboration between local authorities and charities, according to new research.

More than half of charities surveyed said local authorities had become ‘more responsive' to their needs during coronavirus.

A quarter said their relationship with local authorities had improved during the pandemic, with 36% saying they had increased their engagement with local authorities in the past year.

However, the research also found smaller organisations were more likely to report a deterioration in their relationship with the local government sector.

Head of networks and influencing at National Council for Voluntary Organisations, Alex Farrow, said: ‘While more than half of the organisations we surveyed saw an improvement in their relationship with local government, with the pandemic making local authorities more responsive it's clear that this is not universal and that lots of smaller charities have not seen an improvement.

‘We're concerned about the level of funding local authorities will have to sustain engagement and rebuild communities in the months and years ahead.'

THIRD SECTOR

New EFS risk looms

By Rob Whiteman | 08 September 2026

With a wide spread of financial pressures impacting councils, and the specifics of reorganisation adding to those challenges, Rob Whiteman says that committe...

THIRD SECTOR

One-way only won't work

By Benjamin Taylor | 08 September 2026

Don’t rebuild Whitehall inside mayoral authorities, says Benjamin Taylor – turn secondments into a public service talent exchange instead.

THIRD SECTOR

Drowning in AI tide

By Dan Peters | 08 September 2026

Generative AI is making it easier than ever for residents to complain, object and request information – and councils are struggling to cope. Dan Peters inves...

THIRD SECTOR

Devolution is transforming transport and more in the Liverpool City Region

By Richard McGuckin | 07 September 2026

As the Liverpool City Region moves ‘to take control of buses, refresh our entire transport fleet, develop infrastructure and builds a transport network that ...

Popular articles by Laura Sharman