Northumberland one of nine most vulnerable local authorities in Covid-19 recovery

The leaders at Northumberland County Council would do well to look at the report published on 15 June from the think tank the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS), called The Geography of the Covid-19 Crisis in England.

The report identified nine local authorities which, it says, will be most affected as they recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. The reason they give is that counties like Northumberland have a higher proportion of older people and people with underlying medical conditions living in them, more children who are vulnerable or living in poverty and a greater proportion of job losses in areas like hospitality and tourism.

Deputy leader of the Labour group Scott Dickinson said: “The IFS report makes grim reading but, if its contents

are taken seriously, it gives the council a good basis for recovery.

“The report says the combination of health, jobs and families is what determines how well a local authority area will recover from Covid-19. It is not just a public health issue.

“Some local authority areas in England are vulnerable in one or two of these areas but Northumberland is vulnerable in all three, giving it, as the report says, a triple whammy to deal with.

“When the Prime Minister talks about levelling up, which I take to mean giving everyone the same opportunities in health, education, housing and employment, this report highlights that some areas, such as Northumberland, will need more resources and more targeted help to put it on a level footing with other parts of the country.

“For the past 10 years we have seen Northumberland starved of resources and the result is that it is even more difficult for the county to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Labour group will be studying this report in detail and making recommendations to the council leaders. The strength is that we have evidence, compiled by a respected think tank, to help us.

“We can all work together to make improvements and that is what we will be asking for in the interests of every resident in this county.”

You can read the full IFS report at https://www.ifs.org.uk/inequality/the-geography-of-the-covid-19-crisis-in-england/