District councils have raised alarm calls over a lack of funding for infrastructure, suggesting it is the main barrier to delivering growth.
A survey conducted by the District Councils’ Network (DCN) found 78% of districts complaining that diminished infrastructure investment was hindering growth, coupled with 54% of respondents bemoaning Whitehall’s failure to fully devolve funding.
The poll of 56 DCN members found almost half (47%) were considering being part of a combined authority, while 48% wanted to see responsibility for economic development to be devolved to a district level.
Cllr Neil Clarke, chairman of the DCN, said: ‘District councils are determined to bring the fruits of devolution to non-metropolitan parts of England and work with partners to pull the levers of growth and opportunity for the people, places and businesses for which we are responsible.
‘To do so effectively, however, obstacles to growth must be overcome, including the shortage of infrastructure funding, Whitehall’s control over the purse strings for growth schemes and landbanking by developers.’
Respondents also claimed that district council investments had resulted in job creation in the vast majority 92%) of authorities.
