Partners

CCN partners

We have a long and proud history of working with trusted partners to enhance research, deepen insight, and strengthen the support we provide to our members. Through the County Councils Network (CCN) partnership model, external organisations can collaborate with us as annual strategic partners, develop bespoke projects, or contribute to our yearly conference.

Our ambition is to build long‑term, meaningful relationships that help partners expand their impact within local government. Working with the CCN offers unique opportunities to engage directly withcouncil leaders, cabinet members, chief executives, and senior officers from county and unitary authorities - some of England’s largest and most influential local councils.

Partners also benefit from the chance to showcase their brand and services, demonstrate thought leadership and innovation, and communicate directly with key decision‑makers shaping policy and practice across local government.

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Why partner with us

We offer a range of ways in which business partners can work with us, from annual strategic partnerships through to one-off sponsorship arrangements.

Partners also benefit from the chance to showcase their brand and services, demonstrate thought leadership and innovation, and communicate directly with key decision‑makers shaping policy and practice across local government.

Strategic partnerships

Strategic partnersare organisations that we work with throughout the year, often through multi‑yearcollaborations. These partnerships enable us develop research that aligns withour members’ priorities and challenges. Over the past year, for example, wehave worked with partners on projects exploring fiscal devolution, children’sservices, local government reorganisation, and the growth in AI.

Our strategic partners also play an active role in ourwider advocacy programme. They attend our annual conference and other keyevents, and they meet with the CCN team each month to share intelligence onemerging issues and developments affecting the sector.

Conference partnerships

Conference partners are organisations that joinus at our annual conference, either as exhibitors to our 200 delegates or by hosting a roundtable or workshop. In 2025, we welcomed three new conference partners alongside five returning partners, all of whom delivered stands and sessions alongside our strategic partners. Last year, conference partner‑led sessions explored key issues for the sector, including home to school transport, strategic planning and cyber security.

Bespoke partnerships

Bespoke partners are for organisations that want to work with CCN on individual, stand‑alone projects—such as producing a CCN Dialogues report accompanied by a launch event In recent years, we have published reports on diverse subjects ranging from free school meals, home to school transport, and advances in digital technology.