Breaking up - yet another schism
NORTH EAST POLITICS HIT BY YET ANOTHER SPLIT AS THE NECA IS CUT IN TWO
MORE splits are set to strike at the heart of North East politics.
The North East Combined Authority is set to split as plans for devolution move forward.
The authority currently includes members from all seven North East councils and makes decisions on issues including transport and economic growth across the region.
But on March 20, a NECA committee will vote on plans to allow the three Northern authorities to go their own way, ahead of devolution for the North of the river.
Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland agreed last November to a Government deal handing the smaller area a parcel of new powers and cash, after talks over devolution for the whole region fell apart in 2016.
According to papers to be put before NECA members, the majority of people who responded to a consultation carried out across the region agreed with the overall plans for a new mayoral authority for the North.
And an order has now been received from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government enabling the creation of the new North of Tyne Mayoral Combined Authority.
It means the boundaries of the existing NECA group can be altered, so that it now only covers the South of the Tyne.
Joint arrangements to govern transport across the now-separate areas would be made as part of the new structure.
But agreement from the existing authority is required before the order can be officially made.
If the plans are ratified, the new authority could be up and running this summer, with elections for the new mayor held in May 2019.