Levelling up secretary Michael Gove has announced a devolution deal for the North East, which will invest £1.4bn in the region over the next 30 years.
The proposed deal will give Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland and County Durham a directly elected mayor who will attract investment to the area and represent local people in conversations with national government.
Under the deal, the North East Mayoral Combined Authority will receive control over the adult education budget and a new £563m city region sustainable transport settlement.
Gove said: “I’m proud to have agreed a historic new devolution deal with the North East that gives local leaders more power, more money, and an even greater say on how their areas are run.
“A new mayor will ensure local priorities in the North East are at the heart of decision-making, while our billion-pound funding boost will provide the financial certainty needed to level up the area right now and for years to come.”
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The proposed deal also includes £17.4m to accelerate the building of new homes on brownfield land and £20m to level up and regenerate the area.
In a joint statement, local leaders and mayors across the North East, said: “This is a significant step towards securing important decision-making powers and investment for our region. This would allow us to make decisions that reflect local needs and invest wisely into projects that will make a difference for all our residents, communities and local economy.”
The devolution deal is subject to local consultation and an election for the new mayor is expected to take place in May 2024.
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