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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.