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When the going got tough during the pandemic, local parks and greenspace were seen as the jewel in the crown of local services and access to sports and leisure facilities were often things that many of us missed the most when restrictions were in place. It doesn’t seem so long ago that there was a huge focus on these services that contribute so importantly to the quality of everyday life for local people.

Twelve months ago, many of us in local government began to believe the rhetoric of the end of a decade of austerity and that better times lay ahead. Perhaps it was now time to think that there could be a light at the end of the tunnel for some of the discretionary preventative services – which had faced the worst cuts – and that there could be some much-needed investment to aid local communities with covid recovery. That was, of course, prior to a cost-of-living crisis that has hit hard. The events of the last couple of months have, regrettably, once again seen a negative spin against the strong case that public services contribute positively to economic growth.

As we move towards the fiscal statement on 17 November, it’s time to make a strong case for the return-on-investment parks and leisure services bring to society. Not only do they attract inward investment to help support vibrant economies and sustainable communities but also the contribution they make to physical and mental health, social cohesion, tackling inequality, as well as combatting loneliness and isolation amongst the elderly.

The campaign is over the votes have been cast and Conservative Party members have elected a new leader, in Liz Truss, who is also now the UK Prime Minister. The first 100 days for any new leader often set the tone for the remainder of their term of office. With multiple crises requiring urgent action in advance of winter, it will be telling for the longer term to see if local government features as a trusted vehicle to help develop and deliver effective policy solutions in the coming months.

With issues such as cost of living, the impact of inflation, climate, housing and social care at the forefront of peoples minds it would appear to be incoherent to think that significant progress can be made without the full engagement and deployment of local councils in tackling these.

Yet we know that the last decade has seen severe budget cuts and under investment in councils to the point where they are having huge difficulty in sustaining existing day-to-day services. Add to that major supply and service cost inflation and the scope for additional action becomes extremely limited.

As the runners and riders are whittled down in the Conservative Party leadership race, which will ultimately decide the next Prime Minister, it is timely to look at what issues impacting on local government will be waiting in the in-tray for the successful candidate.

Most immediate will be stabilising inflation to a more sustainable level, in order to begin to address the escalating cost of living crisis facing the country. Whilst some candidates will play to the core electorate in this race, promising tax cuts and low spend, it is inconceivable that more money will not be found to support the growing number of people who will be living in fuel and food poverty through the coming winter. Local government is uniquely placed to ensure that any money spent is targeted in the right places, at the right time, to the correct people to avoid families making choices between heating or eating.