There are significant doubts over whether County Durham will be allowed to join a huge North East devolution deal, as talks start over the prospect of expanding a multi-billion pound government offer.
County council bosses announced last Friday that they wanted to be part of an agreement which would see a new mayor elected in 2024 to govern a massive combined authority stretching across Northumberland, Tyneside, Wearside, and Durham. But a devolution package for the entire ‘LA7’ area is far from a done deal and requires the support of the six other councils involved, who one MP claims were “blindsided” by Durham’s proclamation last week.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands that opinion is split among leaders in Newcastle, Gateshead, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, and Sunderland as to whether Durham should be allowed into the delicately-poised pact at the eleventh hour – with a devolution deal for the other six councils having been close to completion for some weeks.
