East Suffolk Council
Council leader's statement on Levelling Up White Paper announcement
The first nine areas to be invited to agree new county deals have been announced as part of the government’s Levelling Up White Paper.
The areas invited to begin negotiations will be Cornwall, Derbyshire and Derby, Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, Durham, Hull and East Yorkshire, Leicestershire, Norfolk, Nottinghamshire and Nottingham, and Suffolk.
Following this announcement, Cllr Steve Gallant, Leader of East Suffolk Council, said:
"It is really pleasing that Suffolk is one of the nine areas to be chosen for a county deal. It offers significant possibilities in terms of addressing regional inequalities, maximising resources and ensuring greater accountability, here in Suffolk, for powers previously held in Westminster.
“Naturally, we are committed to ensuring that any deal benefits East Suffolk and its residents, and we're now looking forward to further discussions with our partners and the Government to consider how a county deal can work for our communities. It’s important that any deal contains a policy and funding mix which can make a real difference, and we eagerly await the full details of the White Paper.”