Localis’ Industrial Strategy report: CCN responds

The report suggests that 47 strategic authorities should be set up countrywide, to boost regional economic output. These are largely based around county geographies.

Read the report here.

Responding to the study, CCN Director Simon Edwards said:

“This is the latest report that calls for county authorities to be the strategic lead on the Industrial Strategy and devolution, recognising their importance to the country’s economic fortunes.

“With this Government placing a heavy emphasis on raising England’s productivity through the industrial strategy, its domestic economic policy rests on whether counties’ potential is tapped into. Despite contributing 41% of England’s GVA, counties’ productivity is below the national average, and they have sizeable challenges in relation to infrastructure gaps, unaffordable housing and growing skills gaps that must be tackled.

“Localis’ report, and their emphasis on counties as major strategic authorities built around county geographies, rightly recognises their central importance to any industrial strategy.

“Devolving power and resources to counties at scale – rather than a heavy emphasis on the major cities and bureaucratic governance – will help rebalance the country and deliver on the Government’s aims of its Industrial Strategy and higher regional productivity.”