CCN responds to the King’s Speech

Today the new government has laid out its legislative agenda in the King’s Speech, which is the state opening of Parliament.

The King’s Speech included bills on devolution, transport, planning, and schools.

Below, the County Councils Network responds.

Cllr Tim Oliver, Chairman of the County Councils Network, said:

“Today’s King’s Speech puts some flesh on the bones of the government’s devolution agenda. It is imperative the government continues with what has worked in delivering 15 devolution settlements over the last two years and it is encouraging that the English Devolution Bill looks set to do this, by continuing with the county combined authority model and simplifying the process for establishing them.

“With the speech confirming the government will publish a more ambitious devolution framework, which we strongly welcome, it must be must be focused on retaining counties and their geographies as the building blocks of non-metropolitan devolution, expanding the current range of powers on offer to local areas and being flexible on governance.

“The government has also published the outline of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Whilst we await further details on housing targets in the imminent revised National Planning Policy Framework, housing must be fairly allocated across the country. As important as housing numbers is the actual infrastructure that both enables and mitigates development, with councils in county areas suffering from significant infrastructure funding gaps. The government’s planning reforms must set out a way to more effectively capture funding for infrastructure, and above all, reform must be done in partnership with councils, rather than to them. Equally, while we strongly welcome strategic planning being part of an expanded devolution framework, it is imperative these new arrangements are open to all county areas.

“The County Councils Network (CCN) is pleased to see that the Children’s Wellbeing Bill intends to strengthen multi-agency working across the children’s sector, including in particular the duty on schools to co-operate with councils so they are able more effectively plan school admissions, places and SEND inclusion – all of which the network called for in in its Manifesto for Counties.

“With the government setting out its legislative priorities today, councils in county areas stand ready to work with the government on delivering national renewal. But for local authorities need to be firing on cylinders in achieving this aim and require sustainable and long-term funding, underpinned by an agenda to reform public services.

“Ahead the Spending Review, CCN will be setting out detailed evidence on the funding requirements for councils over the course of this Parliament, alongside the necessary policy changes that are needed in adult social care, special educational needs and children’s social care to ensure these vital services are sustainable in the long-term and deliver better outcomes.”