The article examines how the COVID-19 pandemic was managed at the local level in the UK, as the national government's actions have been heavily scrutinized. It suggests that the knowledge and expertise of local stakeholders were often overlooked, but local public health directors and their partners were still able to make significant contributions, such as in contact tracing efforts in deprived areas. The article highlights the important role of local leadership during the pandemic, even when their efforts were not fully recognized by the national government.