District councils have stood up the humanitarian effort across the pandemic, housing the homeless, supporting businesses, filling fridges and emptying bins.

Our newly published selection of case studies demonstrates the real difference that district councils have made for our communities; from befriending vulnerable residents, providing frameworks for business recovery, housing rough sleepers, adapting our high streets, and taking action on climate change. By September districts had made an astonishing 368,000 grant payments to businesses, worth £4.4bn.

Solutions designed in Whitehall have proven to be no match for our local knowledge and dedication to serving our communities.We can be so proud of our staff and councillors for our rapid response navigating this unprecedented year – all of which makes a looming public sector pay freeze that much harder to swallow.