New Secretary of State for Local Government: CCN responds

Today, James Brokenshire has been announced as the new Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government, replacing the outgoing Sajid Javid.

Cllr Paul Carter, chairman of the County Councils Network, said:

“CCN would like to congratulate James Brokenshire on his appointment as the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government – an excellent appointment. We worked closely with James during his time as immigration minister in 2014; I very much look forward to working with him again over the coming years. James is well equipped to manage the large and complex local government agenda ahead.

“Our congratulations also go to Sajid Javid on his new appointment as Home Secretary. CCN has had an excellent relationship with Sajid and I have no doubt this will continue with the new Secretary of State and his ministerial team. Sajid has shown himself willing to make bold decisions in local government, such as the structural reorganisation in Buckinghamshire and Dorset, and he has had the fullest understanding of the issues facing county authorities up and down the country.

“James Brokenshire inherits a major agenda ahead as part of his new local government brief – the fair funding review, housing and planning, the social care green paper, and increased business rate retention. Major decisions will need to be made, in short order, not least the outcome of the needs-led fair funding review. It is important we keep up the momentum, continuing to position counties as the local authorities that can offer solutions to the government’s significant domestic issues.”