Member Article

North of the Tyne devolution deal: Here's what the road to a Mayor looks like

Following the official signing of the North if the Tyne devolution deal, a timeline of planned delivery has been released to the public outlining the path key stakeholders will pursue in the coming months.

Plans have been revealed which will eventually lead to elections being held in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland to choose a Mayor for the North of Tyne Combined Authority.

For more information on the deal, what it means and how the business community is reacting, click here to read our summary.

Timeline

A timeline for the next stages of the process, as provided by North Tyneside Council.

November 2017

Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland councils will begin a governance review. This review is required by law and must show how the deal and proposed governance changes meet a number of statutory tests. It is, essentially, the economic argument for change.

The review will look at the impact of the changes proposed in the devolution deal for Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland councils to leave the existing North East Combined Authority (NECA) and set up a new North of Tyne Combined Authority. It will also look at how the deal will impact economically on the council areas of South Tyneside, Sunderland, Gateshead and Durham.

December 2017

The governance review is considered by Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland councils. If the councils are satisfied that the statutory tests are met, the councils will decide to consult on the proposals.

December 2017 to January 2018

A consultation is launched to gather the views of the public, and a range of other organisations and key stakeholders in the region, on the governance review.

The consultation will be open for six weeks and members of the public will be able to submit their views on this website and at our consultation events.

End of January 2018

The views gathered in the consultation will be analysed and submitted to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

The Secretary of State will consider the results of the consultation and whether our proposals meet the statutory tests. If he believes this is the case then the next steps will involve setting up the new North of Tyne Combined Authority.

February 2018 to summer 2018

The Secretary of State will draft orders that will:

• create the North of Tyne Combined Authority;
• change the geographic area of the current NECA (ie without the three councils of Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland); and
• will create a statutory joint committee to oversee transport arrangements in the wider North East region.

Subject to the relevant local authorities approving the draft order, the Secretary of State will then lay the orders before Parliament.

Summer 2018

The North of Tyne Combined Authority is set up. An interim Mayor will be appointed to oversee the authority until a Mayor is elected in 2019.

A Joint Committee for Transport is set up to manage the transport arrangements in both the North of Tyne and NECA areas.

May 2019

Elections are held in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland to elect a Mayor for the North of Tyne Combined Authority.

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