Public trust councils more than government in pandemic response

A new public opinion poll has reinforced support for councils, councillors and council workers who have responded to coronavirus.

The survey, conducted by leading polling company Survation for APSE, found that the public has placed a high level of trust in local councils and council workers in how they have responded to the health pandemic. According to the poll, 79 per cent were satisfied with the way their local council’s key workers kept essential services going during the first lockdown earlier this year, with 44 per cent being highly satisfied and only 12 per cent dissatisfied.

Equally the public continues to favour more money for local councils for local services, with 79 per cent in favour of the government giving more money to local councils to spend at the local level.

In fact, four and half times as many trust the local council (54 per cent) over the government (12 per cent) to make decisions about how services are provided in their local area. Nine times as many trust local councillors (56 per cent) over government ministers (six per cent) to make decisions about their local area, whilst five times more people trusted councils (55 per cent) to provide local services over a private company (11 per cent) or the government (11 per cent).

The public also trust councils far more than anyone else to provide residential care services to older people – a service area that has reached the headlines throughout lockdown. This is addition to increased public satisfaction in key neighbourhood services, such as parks, school meals, waste and recycling and street lighting.

As well as the pandemic, another issue high on the public agenda is climate change. According to APSE, the public also thinks that councils are best placed to combat the effects of climate change in their local community with big support for making homes more efficient. The polling found that 61 per cent say the specific local climate action they most support is making homes more energy efficient, 54 per cent would like to see more of their taxes given to their local council to address climate change, and that 39 per cent see councils as best placed to implement local steps to combat the effects of climate change compared to 31 per cent for the government.

Paul O’Brien, APSE chief executive, said: “Many in local government will be cheered by the high level of trust placed in local councils, delivering the services the public want and need, especially during the pandemic. The results demonstrate the value with which the public regard neighbourhood level public services.

“What is also clear is that we have a job to do in convincing government that local investment through councils is not only popular but a sensible route to delivering visible improvements at a community level. This means delivering on public priorities in partnership with councils, especially in areas like climate change, where councils can make a real difference in greening local transport, and investing in making homes more energy efficient.”