If you were to imagine a region, where high speed fibre digital connectivity covers 90% of premises, with a burgeoning creative industries sector, the UK’s third fastest growing tech cluster, the first region in the UK to drill deep Geothermal wells for heat and energy production and soon to be host the first horizontal launch Spaceport, you wouldn’t immediately imagine this also being one of the UK’s least prosperous regions with an economy comparable with many Eastern European regions.

And yet, in Cornwall, a rural unitary authority, this is our reality. Since 2000, supported by Cornwall Council’s efforts, European funding has reduced unemployment and revolutionised industry, ensuring that we remain competitive in increasingly difficult markets while improving the lives, health and wellbeing of those that live and work here. Earlier this year, Cornwall Council marked 10 years since the unitary authority was created with a recognition that even in that short time, we have successfully used our devolution powers to shape the economic prosperity trajectory for Cornwall.