Steven Broomhead is chief executive of Warrington Borough Council and writes a regular column for the Warrington Guardian

We have learned to adapt and carry out our daily lives very differently as a consequence of the pandemic. I have noticed some surprisingly unintentional consequences and changes.

• Locally, pet sales have increased by 15% with the purchase of dogs increasing by 20%. This has provided some new challenges for our greenspaces as untrained dogs adapt to their new environments with an increase in dog fouling which is obviously an anti-social behaviour and results in complaints and additional clean-up costs.

• Bizarrely there has been an increase in the sale of exotic animals. So if you see an alligator taking its daily exercise, please socially distance and contact me so I can arrange for quarantine in the Ship Canal.

• Staring at your walls, the impact of social isolation and home education has had the impact for many families and individuals to re-imagine and re-design their home environments. DIY sales have performed strongly and planning applications for home extensions has increased by 15% compared to the previous year.

• The opportunity to take more time to walk, exercise and take in fresh air has been welcome. It’s also led to an increase in complaints about the quality of the local street scene and the general environment. This has not been helped by additional litter and the council has had to increase and re-schedule clean-up operations. A positive development has been the growth of voluntary “litter picking groups”.

• The paradox of Government discouraging the use of public transport, whilst also discouraging the use of cars to assist with the greening of the environment. The effect has been more car usage, albeit for shorter journeys and less frequencies. Public transport operators have, in effect, been nationalised and have actually put in place magnificent Covid secure measures to make our journeys as safe as possible. I for one, am using public transport again.

• A rise in family stress and domestic abuse has been one of the more negative impacts. Reported crime in the year has decreased by 18 per cent but more “hidden aspects” including domestic abuse has risen significantly requiring new and additional sensitive interventions.

• Isolation has produced an obsession for a growing number of “online gaming” with all of the harm this produces. More positively, there has been a growth in the sales of traditional family board games – my favourite being “Mouse Trap”. Interestingly there has also been a new demand for “life coaches” as people reconsider their present and future life direction and priorities.

Covid has been a real test of our tolerance and understanding. It’s been humbling to witness the resilience and determination of our town’s communities. New friendships have formed and there is a new, positive community spirit which hopefully will be maintained for years to come.

A real focus on solutions and a new sense of community purpose and partnership have been the new driver of our town’s organisations in response to the pandemic.

It’s these positives that will be on display and we will be reflecting on at the Warrington Guardian’s Lockdown Awards on April 30.

Whilst in years to come we will remember the difficulties and disruption of Covid, perhaps we will also remember how we re-set our personal priorities, the new relationships we have built and the positive community responses we made to make our great town even more stronger?