Budget 2024: CCN welcomes new devolution agreements in counties

In today’s Budget the government have announced new devolution agreements for Buckinghamshire, Warwickshire and Surrey, which will devolve powers over adult education and infrastructure to the area.

The agreements, pending formal approval, will devolve ‘Level 2’ powers of the devolution framework directly to the upper-tier councils. CCN has supported the negotiations with the authorities and government over several months.

These are the latest county devolution agreements with County Councils Network members, following on from several agreed in the last 20 months, and takes the total of deals involving our member councils to 15.

Below, the CCN responds to today’s announcement.

Cllr Phillippa Williamson, Devolution Spokesperson for the County Councils Network, said:

“Today’s announcement of three county devolution agreements for Warwickshire, Buckinghamshire and Surrey is important – and represents another crucial milestone in the devolution agenda. These agreements, when ratified, will bring powers closer to our communities, and provides us with extra levers to pull in order influence adult education provision, infrastructure and transport needs in our counties and, in doing so, support our residents and businesses.

“These agreements take the number agreed since publication of Levelling-up White Paper to 15 CCN members in total. This is a significant number considering it has only been two years since that white paper, and credit must be given to county leaders across England who have shown ambition and flexibility in order to secure extra powers and funding for their areas. As impressive as this number is, we believe the momentum on county devolution should still be maintained and we will be working to support the agreement of further deals for as many CCN members as possible by the end of this Parliament – and beyond”