The County Council Network, which represents all English county
councils and is a part of the Local Government Association, has
appointed Westminster Strategy as its first public affairs agency.
Westminster Strategy was hired earlier this month after a competitive
pitch against Shandwick, Lawson Lucas Mendelsohn and CDC
Consultancy.
Westminster Strategy is expected to help the network represent the
interests of county councils in the political arena. This will include
lobbying for greater funding of county councils in the run-up to the
Government’s standard spending assessment settlement, which determines
how much money goes to which councils for the year and is due in
December.
Issues also facing the network include the economic regeneration of
rural areas and ensuring county councils are represented in the debate
over the role of local government in the run-up to a Local Government
Bill being introduced to Parliament.
Stephen Campbell, secretary of the County Council Network, confirmed the
organisation had appointed Westminster Strategy.
The County Council Network was formed at the same time as the LGA in
April 1997. Westminster Strategy previously worked for the Association
of County Councils, one of the bodies which was amalgamated into the
LGA.
