Grant Thornton produced this report for the County Councils Network to demonstrate the central role county authorities play in delivering place‑based growth and supporting the levelling up of England. Counties account for almost half of England’s population, homes and businesses, and will experience significant population growth over the coming decades. Our analysis shows that while counties are investing, influencing and acting to drive growth, they face entrenched inequalities, lower productivity and structural barriers that require a more tailored, devolved and place‑led approach. Growth, as measured by Gross Added Value (GVA), in county areas has lagged behind the rest of the country by 2.6% over the last five years. GVA in the 36 county areas has grown by 14.1% between 2014 and 2018, compared to 16.7% for the rest of England. In total, 25 of these counties have grown at a rate slower than the rest of the country. The research finds no north-south divide, as the county areas experiencing the some of the smallest economic growth are Herefordshire (5.3%), Oxfordshire (5.6%) and Cumbria (8.2%), Gloucestershire (9.2%), and Wiltshire (9.7%) – showing that one size fits all policies will not work. Some 30 of the 36 County Councils Network authority areas have workplace productivity levels below the England average. At the same time, counties have witnesses sluggish business growth, with county authorities averaging 7.9% growth over the last five years – almost half of that of the rest of the country’s figure of 15.1% over the period 2014 to 2019. Recommendations for government include: Target national investment at places with the greatest gaps to the average, rather than focusing on broad regional divides. Simplify and align funding streams, with greater local influence over allocation and long‑term certainty. Devolve powers, responsibilities and budgets to counties, including for strategic spatial planning and skills. Establish Growth Boards in every county, supported by a clear national framework and data‑led decision‑making. Strengthen infrastructure investment in non‑metropolitan areas, including digital and low‑carbon networks. Bring skills provision, planning and growth delivery together at county scale to unlock inclusive, sustainable growth.