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

Children's services: What good looks like in Solihull

By Paul Johnson | 20 January 2026

Solihull MBC’s journey from Inadequate to Good in its latest Inspection of Local Authority Children’s Services is one of the best examples of the public sect...

THIRD SECTOR

Crossing the capability chasm

By Simon Christian | 20 January 2026

Local government finance leaders are very clear about what they want to focus on, but there is a widening gap between strategic aspiration and operational ba...

THIRD SECTOR

Is English devolution in a holding pattern hiatus?

By David Blackman | 20 January 2026

What impact will the delays to the mayoral elections in Greater Essex, Hampshire and the Solent, Norfolk & Suffolk and Sussex & Brighton have on devolution? ...

THIRD SECTOR

National conversation on neighbourhoods needed

By Neil Merrick | 20 January 2026

A senior Local Government Association (LGA) figure has called for a national conversation over the role of councils in improving neighbourhoods.

Popular articles by Laura Sharman