South East Councils (SEC) has welcomed the Government’s announcement in the Autumn Budget that Mayors will be given powers to introduce overnight visitor levies. The move marks a positive step towards meaningful fiscal devolution and reflects long-standing calls from SEC to bring decisions on tax and spend closer to the communities they affect. In 2022, […]
Localis thinktank have published a new report, supported by South East Councils and South East Employers. Restoration and Resilience: Building Capacity and Capability to Deliver Local Services in the South East covers issues including workforce challenges, capacity building, and delivering local services. The report argues that strategic capacity building, multi-tier partnership working and devolution that
Restoration and Resilience Report launched to support services across the South East Read More »
South East Councils (SEC) has today published the latest edition of the South East 1,000 Regional Monitor. Since Autumn 2020, SEC has commissioned Savanta ComRes to sample the opinion of “1,000” adults, in three cohorts: Business, Councils, Public, on a range of issues. It includes commentary from SEC Chair Cllr Nick Adams-King, Guest Commentary from
South East 1,000 Regional Monitor 2024 Published Read More »
Speaking at Conservative Party Conference today, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove spoke highly of local Councillors. Gove thanked current and former Councillors saying: “Our councillors and former councillors are the stars who guide our path forward, the local heroes responsible for thousands of acts of kindness and leadership everyday.”
To Win as a “Team” Central Government Needs to do More Read More »
South East Councils has voiced concern that towns in the region are being wilfully ignored in Government funding allocations. While the Prime Minister has said that £1.1bn ‘levelling up’ investment was being invested in 55 towns, only 3 of these towns (Hastings, Bexhill-on-Sea, and Ryde) are in the South East region. South East Councils has
South East is Being Wilfully Ignored by Government Read More »
Over 100 projects were awarded a share of £2.1 billion from Round 2 of the Government’s flagship Levelling Up Fund today. In response, Chair of South East Councils, Cllr Nicolas Heslop, said: “Of course, we welcome much needed funding to level up left behind areas in the South East. “The South East has some of
South East Councils respond to Levelling Up Fund Round 2 Read More »
Councillors, businesses and members of the public in the South East are more resolute than ever in their desire for financial devolution, says South East Councils (SEC). As local authorities expect to be overlooked in this week’s Autumn Statement, SEC, which has the majority of councils in the South East as members, is calling on
Time for councils to get more financial control to support the UK Read More »
Council leaders from across the South East, are today [Wednesday 19th October] calling on the Government to allow cohorts of councils in the region to run a two-year financial devolution pilot. Paul Scully MP, Minister for DHLUC heard from a broad range of local leaders and stakeholders from the South East at a major summit,
South East is ripe for a fiscal devolution trial Read More »
By Cllr Tony Page, Vice Chair of South East Councils and Deputy Leader of Reading Borough Council The ‘Great British Rail Sale’ offered few rewards for the South East. If we are to enact a step change in sustainable travel, the South East needs a genuinely joined up approach to transport planning and investment. Discounted
The ‘Great British Rail Sale’ offered few rewards for South East Read More »
Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill Responding to publication of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, South East Councils (SEC) said the lack of ambition was disappointing. SEC Chair, Cllr Nicolas Heslop said: “Where is the ambitious Levelling Up approach we have been promised? Councils need to be empowered to address inequalities within the South East
Where is the so-called levelling up? Read More »