Northern Powerhouse

North of Tyne: a new future and political dawn

Pat Ritchie, chief executive of the North of Tyne authorities leading on housing and chief executive of Newcastle City Council, outlines her vision for the region as it walks towards a groundbreaking devolution deal.

A new political era is dawning in the north east. The devolution deal that we negotiated with the government is currently working its way through Parliament for final approval.

If all goes to plan, we will soon be in a position to launch the new North of Tyne Combined Authority and start delivering a bold new vision for long-term economic prosperity.

The area covered by our devolution deal takes in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland councils, and the deal represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take control of our destiny and make a real difference to the lives of our residents.

We already have one of the fastest-growing local economies in the UK, as well as the fastest-growing tech sector outside of London and the most skilled workforce in the north – but there’s still plenty of untapped talent in our region.

Devolution will give us the tools we need to build on those economic strengths and deliver sustainable growth and prosperity.

The deal will see unprecedented new powers and resources handed over from Westminster to the new combined authority, together with a £600m fund that will be used to address the issues that matter most to local people.

There will be a suite of new initiatives to boost trade and investment, create thousands of jobs, build new homes more quickly, and help young people gain the qualifications and experience they need to get on in life.

An elected mayor and cabinet will drive forward aspects of economic growth and champion the north east, giving us a single unifying voice with which to lobby government and raise our profile on an international stage. A mayoral election is due to be held across Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland in May 2019.

The deal will give us the power to make key strategic decisions, ones we are uniquely qualified to make without government calling the shots. And it will give local people a say in how we shape the economic, social and cultural identity of our region. 

We will continue to build strong relationships with employers, colleges and training providers to create new opportunities for local people. And we’ll work hard to make our region an attractive place for major companies to do business, and existing ones to grow and continue to invest so that we improve our competitiveness as a region and create employment opportunities.

Devolution has been a complex process, even for those of us who are closest to it, but already we can see the true potential to people here.

We want to create one of the most inclusive, dynamic and diverse economies in the UK. We know already that our area is a great place to raise a family, begin a career, or start a business, and this deal lets us build on that strong reputation.

I look forward to the day when our region is empowered to seriously punch its weight and is recognised for the significant role it plays in growing the economy of the north. The north east has been highlighted as potentially the fastest-growing area in the north, and we intend to build on that.

Because at a time of unprecedented national change, a more powerful north of England is in everyone’s interests.

I’m confident that once the North of Tyne deal is complete and the new authority is established, we will quickly build momentum and announce our region to the world.

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