As the dust settles on the General Election, attention now turns to a golden opportunity to devolve more powers for the benefit of the nation.

Now is the time for local government to speak with one voice and turn the clamour for greater freedoms and flexibilities into reality. While the election proved to be extraordinary, county councils are facing an equally important time and we know that will mean tightening the purse strings further to help the Government balance the books.

We’ve done this amazingly well already – with Whitehall funding falling by 40% since 2010 – and the feat is even more remarkable given the ever-growing pressures we face, such as rising demand for adult social care and school places.