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"Councils remain ready to work with the Government so they can use their experience and expertise to help contact and trace these people."

Responding to the Government pledge to protect renters amid the coronavirus outbreak, Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Resources Board, said: “Councils are leading local efforts to support communities as they try and cope with the coronavirus outbreak. They will be working with tenants who are experiencing financial challenges as a result to support them to stay in their homes. Many are already suspending debt recovery and will try and use discretionary funding to support struggling household as quickly and effectively as possible “Councils need the flexibility

“The most important thing is that the public and those working on the frontline get a complete picture of the impact this virus has had in our neighbourhoods and in our communities."

“Councils want to continue playing a leading role in supporting local communities and the national effort to defeat this disease."

“Councils need adequate resources and funding certainty to not only cope with this immediate coronavirus crisis but to continue providing other vital public health services for the long term."

Crucial data must be shared with councils to make use of their local knowledge and expertise and ensure vital national efforts to track and trace coronavirus succeed, the LGA warns today.

The value of the Healthy Start voucher scheme for families should be increased to keep pace with the rising cost of food.

“These trailblazer councils have been chosen to help develop, deliver, review and expand their innovative plans to tackle this epidemic at a local level, which can then be shared with their peers more widely."

"The Government has pledged a £5 billion fund for NHS and public services coping with the coronavirus and look forward to seeing the full details."

The number of 10 and 11-year-old children classed as severely obese - the most overweight scale - in the final year of primary school is nearly double that of those in reception, new analysis by the Local Government Association reveals today.