THREAD: Councils & our staff are the UK's 4th emergency service fighting #COVID19. Govt told us to spend what it takes to help beat the virus & they'd reimburse us. Recent ministerial rhetoric suggests a backtrack on this promise. This would be unforgivable. Letter to PM below.⬇️ 
#COVID19 crisis has already cost @GedlingBC over £960k in one month alone - £128k additional expenditure & £832k in loss of income, equivalent to 8.2% of our net revenue budget for this year. Loss of income figure is likely to be repeated each month for the foreseeable future.
Our heroic staff have kept communities & this country going in the face of unprecented challenge - it would be a shameful betrayal if Govt broke their promise & forced councils into crippling financial crisis, left with no option but to cut services & issue p45s to these heroes.
Councils will continue to do all we can in this national effort to beat this indiscriminate virus but we need Government to urgently commit to compensating us to prevent our joint effort with them being hampered.
