Type Combined authority Term limits None | Houses Unicameral Founded 15 April 2014 | |
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Chair Paul WatsonSince 21 June 2016 Vice-chair Mick HenrySince 15 April 2014 | ||
The North East Combined Authority is a combined authority that covers most of the North East region of England. It was established by statutory instrument under the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 on 15 April 2014 with the statutory name Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland Combined Authority. It is a strategic authority with powers over transport, economic development and regeneration. The combined authority area is the same as that of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, and does not include Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool in the south of the North East region, which instead form a separate Tees Valley Combined Authority. At its first meeting on 15 April 2014, Simon Henig, Leader of Durham County Council, was elected as its chair. The functions, property, rights and liabilities of the former Tyne and Wear Integrated Transport Authority were inherited by the North East Combined Authority, forming an executive body within the new authority as the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive.
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On October 2015 that the Authority would receive an enhanced devolution settlement and elect a Mayor in 2017. The plans were latter cancelled by the Communities and Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid on 8 September 2016, after Durham, Gateshead, South Tyneside, and Sunderland Councils withdrew their support for the plans.The current non-mayoral combined authority arrangements will continue.
History
In order to create a combined authority the local authorities in the proposed area must undertake a governance review and produce a scheme of their proposals.
Naming
The order which established the combined authority referred to it as the Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle Upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland Combined Authority, simply listing the names of the constituent councils in alphabetical order. The initial consultation used the name Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear Combined Authority. The body uses the name North East Combined Authority or NECA, and for marketing purposes has adopted the brand north east combined authority (all lower case). The board is known as the North East Leadership Board.
Membership
The membership of the combined authority is as follows:
Local government
The official region consists of the following counties: