The upheaval of three separate Governments this year has been challenging for counties, writes Cllr Tim Oliver, but there will be plenty of discussion about how to solve the many issues facing the sector at the CCN annual conference
With just a few days away from the yearly gathering of the great and good in the county world and wider sector at the County Councils' Network's annual conference this weekend, it is easy to feel consumed by the sheer amount of doom and gloom in local government.
There is no doubt we are facing extreme pressures on our budgets this year – and next – as a result of soaring inflation and rising demand, and if today's Autumn Statement does not provide an uplift in funding for councils then we all face difficult decisions this winter.
We have also had to contend with the upheaval of three separate Governments this year, all with differing policy agendas that we have had to rapidly adapt to, while planned reforms in special educational needs and children's social care have been put on the back-burner.
Although the challenges we face are manifest and there will no doubt be plenty of discussion about solving them at the CCN conference, the event also provides us with the opportunity to reflect on our advocacy successes of the last 12 months and in what agendas we can continue to deliver transformation and reform.
In this regard there is no doubt we have had a significant breakthrough with county councils and unitary authorities placed at the heart of the growth and levelling-up agenda.
Starting with Boris Johnson's administration and moving forward to Rishi Sunak's Government, there is a clear acknowledgement from Downing Street that counties are a key driver of the productivity gains that will enable growth.
This summer saw the first county devolution deals signed since 2015, for North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. With more on the cusp of being announced, county devolution represents a major leap forward in the tools, levers, and funding made available to local leaders to attract inward investment and create more opportunities for local residents. This is why there must be no let up from Michael Gove now he is back in Marsham Street, and we look forward to his address to the conference.
This is, of course, directly linked to the cost of living crisis and the economic growth imperative. How well the Government addresses these will go a long way to determining the success of Rishi Sunak's time as Prime Minister, and CCN has long argued that in order to achieve the kind of productivity gains needed, local economies from Northumberland to Cornwall needs to be firing on all cylinders. This means not only empowering as many county areas as possible through devolution, but also shifting the policy dial that has hitherto focused more on urban areas and the big cities.
A significant new report we are launching on Monday with EY illustrates this. It concludes that county areas have attracted a significant amount of foreign direct investment over the last four years, and this investment creates more jobs on average than in London and the major cities.
It is a two-sided story as counties' share of foreign investment still lags behind London and, proportionally, the cities. We can expect robust insights from EY on how we can improve this further next week.
Elsewhere on the agenda we will be discussing the future of people-based services, such as adult and children's social care, and health integration.
With reform either on the way or being implemented in all three areas, again CCN member councils have a far more prominent role in influencing these changes, but more can be done to further empower us and break down silos.
Another substantial report to be launched by IMPOWER on Monday will examine how fledgling integrated care systems are performing and why a more prominent role for local government in these arrangements can improve preventative health outcomes. There are also notable sessions on climate change and housing – two of the biggest domestic issues we face as a nation.
Of course, we cannot pretend to have all the answers, but it is important to set out what a more prominent role for county authorities can achieve in both.
Looking ahead, I share colleagues' trepidation about the future. But reflecting on the 12 months since we all last got together, there is much to celebrate and plenty to build on. I look forward to discussing these issues with county colleagues from all four corners of the country this weekend.
Cllr Tim Oliver is chairman of the County Councils' Network
– The County Councils' Network annual conference is being held at the Crowne Plaza, Marlowe, Buckinghamshire. Live streaming can be found here.
