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“It would be a tragedy if our collective efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 are undone in a way that leads to a resurgence of this deadly virus that puts further lives at risk.”

"It is vitally important that councils retain oversight of the activities allowed in their local areas so that they can manage different interests, including the need to contain COVID-19, accessibility issues, the interests of local residents and any competing demands between different businesses."

"Museums, galleries and libraries have adapted imaginatively to lockdown, providing new and innovative services for their communities, but they have been unable to generate income during this time putting many at risk of closure."

"We agree that councils must be fully funded and have local flexibility to deliver any scheme that aims to provide additional support and services to vulnerable children and young people over the summer."

Excluding councils from the Government’s newly created Cultural Renewal Taskforce removes the local voice on cultural renewal, the Local Government Association warns. 

“Many council-owned libraries have experienced an increase of more than 600 per cent in new registered members since the Government’s mandated lockdown."

"Councils want to keep parks open, but people need to follow the social distancing advice."

Responding to the Heritage Lottery Fund’s £50 million funding announcement for heritage sites, Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Chair of the LGA’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Board, said: “We are pleased that the Heritage Lottery Fund have provided much needed funding at this difficult time for heritage organisations, who face the additional challenge of high maintenance costs for their buildings during the current closures. "It is also positive that it recognises how investing in the ROSS network will help both heritage organisations, and provide work for hundreds of freelancers. "Preserving

The coronavirus outbreak poses serious risks to the country’s network of cultural organisations unless there is a joined-up approach to supporting them, the Local Government Association and Arts Council England set out today.

“We urge Sport England to work with the Government to also secure grant funding for these organisations."