Dear Sir,
The Labour councillors have failed in a deal uniting seven council areas under a devolution deal to a new combined authority is moving ever closer in a major shake up of the region’s political landscape that would deliver major new funding and powers. Labour opposition councillors and MP’s in County Durham have vehemently opposed the idea of their area joining with Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, South Tyneside, North Tyneside and Northumberland, in a pact. But the ruling County Councillors rejected the Labour Party’s attempt to commit the Council to pursue its own single devolution agreement as an alternative. The Leaders had hoped that a major announcement could be made before Christmas on a proposed deal that, with Durham’s involvement, could be worth more than £4bn over 30 years and see a mayor elected in May 2024.
This new mayor would cover an area from Barnard Castle to Berwick. The Labour Councillors fearing that a County deal would deliver more power and money to Durham and make them ‘master of their own destiny’ with Labour Councillors fearing their massive County being left as a minority part of a large, metropolitan-focused authority leaving Durham out in the wilderness, the newly elected mayor would likely be based in Newcastle.
The other issue that the Labour Party have is that the people have not been adequately consulted on this.
All of this would need to be approved by Central Government, the minister involved would be Michael Gove, and I don’t feel their will be much Levelling up.
Vince Crosby