Combined priorities
Local democracy reporter COUNCILLORS have approved the vision and six key priorities for the new North of Tyne Combined Authority, which held its first official meeting.
The body held its first cabinet meeting in Morpeth Town Hall on Thursday, where the mood was very much one of positivity and excitement about what has been described as ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’.
It follows the signing of the Parliamentary Order for the new authority by Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry last week, which made the devolution deal – bringing powers and £600million of funding to the area – official.
North Tyneside’s Elected Mayor Norma Redfearn chaired the meeting and welcomed everyone on a ‘historic day’. The journey has been frustrating at times, she said, but ‘firmly believe[s] this is a really positive development for the people and areas we serve’.
“Working together, we will have the powers and funding to make a lasting difference,” she added. “It’s not about politics, it’s about people.”
Leader of Northumberland County Council, Coun Peter Jackson, said: “This is the first time ever we are getting money and powers devolved to the North of Tyne area so we can make our own decisions.”
He added that, as has been seen in other devolved areas, it offers the area a bigger voice on the national stage.
Coun Nick Forbes, leader of Newcastle City Council, said: “It’s about getting powers, responsibility and funding out of Whitehall and into town halls. It’s important that we make decisions that affect our region, in our region.
“This is unashamedly a deal about jobs, and good-quality jobs.”
The cabinet agreed to support a number of early funding opportunities, including grants to attract new businesses and support existing ones, a growth fund for rural communities and projects to improve STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) and digital skills among young people.
There was also a pledge to work with the Department for Transport on a business case for a new passenger service on the Northumberland-North TynesideNewcastle Rail Line.
The cabinet is made up of the leaders and deputy leaders of the three constituent councils, with each of the six responsible for a specific portfolio – Coun Jackson (place and productivity) and Coun Wayne Daley (education improvement), from Northumberland County Council; Coun Redfearn (housing and land) and Coun Bruce Pickard (economic growth) from North Tyneside Council; and Coun Forbes (business competitiveness) and Coun Joyce McCarty (employability and inclusion), from Newcastle City Council.
Setting out his brief, Coun Jackson underlined that the rail line linking south-east Northumberland into Newcastle could be ‘easily resurrected’ as a passenger service, while also referring to projects to develop a training academy in Blyth and getting children enthused in STEM through the likes of Kielder’s dark skies.
Coun Forbes made it clear that business competitiveness, for which he is responsible, is not just about the city, but rural growth is key as well.
And not just market towns like Morpeth, Hexham and Alnwick, but deeper rural areas, such as parts of north Northumberland.
Also agreed was the make-up of the authority’s other committees, governance arrangements and the process for selecting an interim mayor, which will take place at the next meeting on Tuesday, December 4.
The ballot for the first directly-elected mayor for the North of Tyne area will take place in May next year.