Good to see the North East Combined Authority showing the region working together and not against each other

For too long the North East local areas and counties have fought each other like ferrets in a sack. The best example is the 4 separate applications for the Green Investment Bank, when Central Government invited bids for the location of the Green Investment Bank. So I am delighted that the Journal today reports the region coming together and supporting the 7 Local Authorities agreeing to act as one combined Noirth East Authority in order to:
- Pitch for big government and other infrastructure projects
- Make a concerted joined up case to big businesses and overseas investors
- Speak as one on key issues like apprenticeships, devolution and job creation
- And work towards both better transport infrastructure and an integrated transport policy - and the ultimate goal of an Oyster card universal payment system for transport across the region, as so successfully launched in London and the South East.
There is a model for this and this is Greater Manchester - which leads the way in joined up governnment. The Journal has covered this here today as follows:
http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/labour-mps-reluctantly-back-north-6933055

Two final points: firstly, it is important that this process frees up Unitary and County Councils to focus on the provision and delivery of core services - and not spend their time making 4 individual pitches for the Green Investment Bank, for example; I believe this will happen; and I made the case that this change must not lead to a loss of rural services, in particular rural bus services; myself and Councillors are working very hard to ensure that rural connectivity is not lost.

North East Local Authorities working together will bring jobs, growth, infrastructure and so much more

Today we have the debate on the creation of local authorities working together - something that has never happened before. 

No more should we be in a turf war between different local authorities, where everyone loses out. My best example of this was the Green Investment Bank, where the North East submitted not one, not two but 4 separate city bids for the bank location. Instead of combining and working together we ended up with nothing.
No other region has addressed its strengths and weaknesses like the North East did with the Adonis Report. This report was business led, written by experts, apolitical, hard hitting and realistic. It pulled few punches. The recommendations, backed up as they were by the Heseltine report, and the NECC, make the case for a combined authority; a Combined Authority will create a new transport authority allowing us to integrate and make infrastructure improvements, which are crucial our area. In addition, the LA7 will allow more money to be devolved from London to the region, and provide real ability to grow the jobs in the area. Greater Manchester, and other areas, have shown what can be achieved if there is unity and a committed agenda for change. This will not be regional government by the back door. This is not another layer of bureaucracy. This is simply the 7 local authority chairs working together under 1 agreed leader to provide the critical mass that wins big bids from government, overseas businesses and gets big infrastructure projects.  I am delighted that the region now has a clear way forward to deliver even more jobs, apprenticeships, and growth.

Sunday in Westminster prepping for the week ahead and sorting the outstanding casework

Sat at my desk with a busy three days ahead in Westminster, before I head north for 2 weeks.
Tomorrow we have the big LA7 debate to created the North East Combined Authority, which I support and have campaigned at length to make happen. I shall be speaking in the short debate between 4.30-6. Writing my short speech now.
I also have a Justice and Home Affairs debate tomorrow, plus the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust Parliamentary Reception, which I hope to be able to go to. In the evening I will be hoping to fit in a meeting with some of the Better Together team, who will be down in Westminster Monday evening.
Tuesday sees Foreign Office Questions, followed by a series of debates and meetings concerning credit unions. I am particularly looking forward to a meeting with Sir Hector Sants, Chair of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Credit Union Task Group; Sir Hector is seeking input from interested parties on the Church’s role supporting the growth of credit unions as part of a more competitive financial sector which encourages responsible lending and saving. The meeting is in Committee Room 14, Palace of Westminster, 4-6pm.
Wednesday is busy with PMQs, the end of the Finance Bill in Committee, and a series of meetings with a 7 pm finish and I will then sprint for the 8 o'clock train to Northumberland.
Once back home I have a multitude of meetings and visits over the next 10days, which I will blog about in more detail later in the week.