The North East has secured a trailblazer devolution deal that could provide a package of new funding potentially worth more than £100m, chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced in his Budget.
Hunt’s announcement comes ahead of the election in May of a mayor for the expanded North East region.
It comes after trailblazer deals with the West Midlands and Greater Manchester committed the Government to confirming a single financial settlement for the two regions in the next Spending Review.
Local government secretary Michael Gove last week announced West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the Liverpool city region will all receive level four devolved powers, which will act as a ‘stepping stone to the full trailblazer-style single settlement’.
Hunt also revealed level two devolution deals for Buckinghamshire, Warwickshire and Surrey.
Shadow communities secretary Angela Rayner has promised to go ‘further and faster’ on devolution if elected to Government.
