Thursday 16 February 2017

Huge support from business leaders for the 3 Local Authorities embracing devolution

The journal carries a report of last weeks key meeting of the local authorities. It is worth a read. After the meeting, the FSB’s regional development manager Simon Hanson tweeted: “It is abundantly clear there are two competing visions in the North East Combined Authority area: one that is ambitious and wants to look outwards, the other that isn’t.”
And the Chamber’s head of policy Jonathan Walker said: “In a time of huge political change, ‘wait and see’ is not acceptable position for our region to take. We must grab opportunities open to us.”
The meeting reflects growing frustration within the business community that the decision of the four councils south of the Tyne to pull out of the devolution deal scuppered a once-in-a-generation chance for the North East to take more control of its own affairs.