Poppies on display for church event

land, Gateshead, County Durham, Sunderland and South Tyneside.

The Government offered extra funding and devolution of powers if the councils agreed to have a mayor, although some Labour critics point out the cash on offer was far less than the funding the Government has cut from local council budgets.

As a result, three councils chose to set up their own North of Tyne Combined Authority, which will be led by a mayor and will receive £30m a year from Government as part of a socalled devolution deal.

The remaining four authorities will continue as the North East Combined Authority, but without a mayor and the money that goes with it.

Speaking in a Commons Committee hearing to approve the creation of the North of Tyne authority, Mr Berry said: “Frankly, it is regrettable that the combined authority area does not cover all the seven authorities that originally came to the Government to discuss the devolution deal.

“The way in which the three areas North of the Tyne came together and, despite that initial setback to their prospects, came forward with a very positive deal for the people who live there, gives us all hope.

“Of course, the door remains open to other authorities in the area to start the conversation with the Government about their ambition for a devolution deal – perhaps even about joining this deal.”

He added: “I would welcome the other areas of the North East coming to the Government and talking to us about devolution.

“Although this is a very good deal, it is unfortunate that some of the seven boroughs that started the discussions with the Government decided to walk away from those discussions.

“I hope and believe that if they came to the Government in the spirit of openness to negotiate a locally supported, ground-up deal, the Government would happily listen to their proposals.” Newcastle North MP Catherine McKinnell welcomed the creation of the new authority but said she hoped the other councils would be allowed to join if they wished. She pointed out that the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, which was created to help create jobs, serves all seven North East councils, adding: “It is disappointing that other local authorities within the North East local enterprise partnership area will not be part of the process.

“I sincerely hope that the door remains open to them, should they decide to reconsider.”

If other councils did join the North of Tyne Combined Authority then it is likely the name would need to be changed.

However, the official legal name at the moment is simply “Newcastle Upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland Combined Authority”, without any reference to the Tyne.

One of the first acts of the Combined Authority will be to appoint a mayor, who will chair the new authority until mayoral elections take place on May 2, 2019.

The first directly-elected mayor will hold the post for five years, with the next election in 2024. THE Parish of St John XXIII will have a Remembrance poppy display between November 4 to the 18 at the church of Our Lady Queen of Peace RC Church on Station Road, Penshaw, Sunderland.

Almost 20,000 handmade poppies will be on display at the church. The heart of this Remembrance two weeks will be an Ecumenical Service where a musical liturgy will be sung on Wednesday, November 7 at 7.30pm at the church. For further information regarding the progress of the poppy installation and opening times, visit parish poppies.wixsite.com/website

The door remains open to other authorities in the area