Local government response to COVID-19

Local and regional governments around the Commonwealth, and throughout the world, are at the core of the COVID-19 crisis. Whether our councils are working to ensure that the services that keep our communities functioning continue to be delivered to the best standards, or joining with a variety of partners at local and national level to address the impact of the outbreak of COVID-19, it is clear that local and regional governments will be critical over the coming weeks and months.  

As well as containing links to useful websites, this page has been created to allow CLGF members and partners to share their best practice examples of how they are mitigating the impact of the ongoing crisis. The examples come from cities and communities of all sizes and type and look at the strategies deployed to deal not just with the impact on health, but also on issues such as social cohesion, our economies and infrastructures. Working together has never been more important and, as community leaders, driving development and creating sustainable communities that enable us to flourish now and in the future, local and regional government is well placed to rise to this challenge. 

We pay tribute to local and regional government and all public servants across the Commonwealth and beyond, and wish you fortitude. Through your diligence and commitment, we will come through this situation stronger and more united.

If you would like to share your experience with members and partners, please email info@clgf.org.uk

In addition, we would like to draw your attention to a tracker of COVID-19 cases across the Commonwealth, which is updated daily. The source for this information is: Johns Hopkins University (2020) and World Health Organisation (2020).

InterActionCouncil

Read this briefing about the new variants of Coronavirus. 

The UN Secretary General Policy Brief: COVID-19 in an Urban World 

This report stresses that there is an urgent need to rethink and transform cities to respond to the reality of COVID-19 and potential future pandemics, and to recover better, by building more resilient, inclusive and sustainable cities.

Commonwealth Secretariat tracker

Click here to access the tracker: updated daily, this shows the number of identified CASES across the Commonwealth. This is part of the Commonwealth COVID-19 Response Centre, a directory of useful information, data and resources.

Cities for all: Global campaign on inclusive and accessible cities

Read the report about empowering local governments on an inclusive pandemic response.

SAGE Journal

This paper highlights the key considerations for addressing the COVID-19 pandemic in informal urban settlements.

Roseau City Council, Dominica

Read about the public health initiative.

Commonwealth Foundation

Read the April newsletter from the Foundation 

OECD

Tackling Coronavirus, contributing to a global effort contains examples of cities across six themes, including Bristol, UK; Cape Town; South Africa; and Sydney., Australia.

Asia - April update from ACHR

Read the latest news in the April update from the Asia Coalition for Housing Rights.

UNCDF - finance for local government

The April newsletter provides information on local government finance. 

UNCDF - Uganda

Read about how local government features prominently in the Ugandan Government's plans for dealing with COVID-19.

UNCDF - guidance note

The United National Capital Development Fund has released a guidance note for local govenments about immediate responses to COVID19. The note is available here. 

UNCDF blogs:

Importance of local government in addressing COVID-19

Bangladeshi and the safety of returning workers safe. 

The situation in Senegal.

LGA of England and Wales publishes advice

The Local Government Association for England and Wales makes available to councils guidance to COVID-19.

The InterAction Council

Read the response to the Pandemic Emergency.

CPA toolkit for Parliaments

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association has produced a toolkit - delivering Pariamentary Democracy - with advice on how parliaments can keep functioning. 

Korea

To learn more about how the Republic of Korea has been handling COVID-19, the Korea Center for Disease Control shares its advice document. Read the FAQs document that was issued. 

Malta: Local Councils Association (LCA)

The LCA has worked with district and rural councils to create a Community Support Platform, in the form of a Facebook page - YouSafe - which allows local government to keep in touch with citizens. There are 68 groups linked to the page for each of the councils, independently moderated and managed by each council. 

More details can be found on Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/YouSafeMalta/

Market Place City

This website provides a set of solutions for cities to use during the pandemic, with many of the actions applicable to other councils.

Australia local government

New South Wales has passed a law under the Emergency Measures Bill to enable council meetings to be held online during the pandemic. 

Overseas Development Institute

The ODI has posted information about how the pandemic might change international cooperation; plus information about trade with Small Island States and the impact on trade in Sri Lanka.

UN-Habitat

Useful information is provided through a series of key messages

Cities for global health

Read about the responses of nearly 200 cities, of all sizes, to the many issues arising from the pandemic.

Live learning experience

UCLG, Metropolis and UN-Habitat have launched a live learning experience which provides online resources and, with UN-Habitat, a series of guides and briefings.