{"id":25107,"date":"2020-01-21T16:02:11","date_gmt":"2020-01-21T16:02:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ihbconline.co.uk\/newsachive\/?p=25107"},"modified":"2020-01-20T16:53:17","modified_gmt":"2020-01-20T16:53:17","slug":"englands-county-councils-network-ccn-outlines-post-election-priorities-urging-government-unleash-the-potential-of-counties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=25107","title":{"rendered":"England\u2019s County Councils Network (CCN) outlines post-election priorities, urging government \u2018unleash the potential of counties\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Leaders of England\u2019s largest councils, through the County Councils Network (CCN), have urged new ministers to ensure that their pledge to unleash the potential of the country does not ignore the needs of \u2018left behind areas\u2019 in shire counties.<\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

CCN writes:<\/p>\n

A post-election analysis from the County Councils Network (CCN), which represents 36 county local authorities, shows that 43% of the new seats (22 out of 51) won by the Conservatives in England\u2026 are in shire counties, whilst 54 out of the 100 \u2018left-behind\u2019 towns identified by the government in its Stronger Towns Fund are in these areas.<\/p>\n

\u2026 a new document\u2026 sets out how the government\u2019s policies can help \u2018unleash the potential of counties\u2019. County leaders call for their areas to receive a fair share of funding for public services, more investment in economic growth, and an extension of devolved powers to the shires.<\/p>\n

The CCN argues that a \u2018misconception\u2019 that shire counties are all affluent and city-centric regional devolution policies could prevent them being able to invest in their towns and deprived communities as part of the levelling up agenda. These councils span the North and Midlands alongside rural and coastal communities in areas of the south, west and east…..<\/p>\n

The priorities outlined in the document are:<\/p>\n