North East Combined Authority

The North East Combined Authority, abbreviated to NECA, is a combined authority in North East England created in 2014. It currently consists of the local authorities for Sunderland; Gateshead, South Tyneside; and most of County Durham.[1] The local authorities for Newcastle upon Tyne; North Tyneside; and Northumberland were included in the combined authority until 2018, when they exited to create their own combined authority, the North of Tyne Combined Authority. For transport policy, the two combined authorities come together to form the North East Joint Transport Committee.

North East Combined Authority
North East Combined Authority within England
Type
Type
HousesUnicameral
Term limits
None
History
Founded15 April 2014 (2014-04-15)
Leadership
Chair
Iain Malcolm
Structure
Joint committees
North East Joint Transport Committee
Elections
Indirect election
Last election
15 April 2014
Meeting place
South Tyneside Town Hall, South Shields
Website
northeastca.gov.uk

The North East Combined Authority was established in 2014 by statutory instrument under the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009.[2] It is a strategic authority with powers over economic development and regeneration. At its first meeting on 15 April 2014, Simon Henig, Leader of Durham County Council, was elected as its chair.[3] 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.

It was announced in October 2015 that the authority would receive an enhanced devolution settlement and elect a mayor in 2017.[4] The plans were later 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.[5] The current non-mayoral combined authority arrangements will continue.

In November 2018, Newcastle City Council, North Tyneside Borough Council, and Northumberland County Council left the North East Combined Authority and formed the new North of Tyne Combined Authority.[6] For transport policy the two combined authorities come together to form the North East Joint Transport Committee.[7]

The current area covers most of the historic county of County Durham. However the other unitary authorities in the county are not part of it. This means the Borough of Darlington, Stockton-on-Tees and Hartlepool are not part of the combined authority due to them being in the Tees Valley Combined Authority.

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.[8] The body uses the name North East Combined Authority or NECA.[9] The board is known as the North East Leadership Board. The legal name of the authority was changed to Durham, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland Combined Authority in November 2018.

Membership

The membership of the combined authority is as follows:[10]

Name Membership Position within nominating authority Nominating authority Position within combined authority
Graeme Miller Constituent Leader of the Council Sunderland City Council
Martin Gannon Constituent Leader of the Council Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council
Tracey Dixon Constituent Leader of the Council South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council Chair
Simon Henig Constituent Leader of the Council Durham County Council Vice Chair
Andrew Hodgson Non-constituent Chair of the NELEP North East Local Enterprise Partnership

Local government
Map of the local government authorities of North East England, highlighting the amedended area covered by the North East Combined Authority since 2 November 2018.

The combined authority consists of the following authorities (2019 population estimates):

Authority Type Population Area (km²) Pop. density (per km²)
Gateshead Metropolitan borough 202,055 142.4 1,423
South Tyneside Metropolitan borough 150,976 64.39 2,334
Sunderland Metropolitan borough 277,705 137.4 2,018
Durham Unitary authority 530,094 2,226 237

References
  1. "North East Combined Authority". North East Combined Authority. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  2. "The Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle Upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland Combined Authority Order 2014". The National Archives. 3 July 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  3. "Community News in Brief Tuesday April 15". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle upon Tyne: Trinity Mirror. 15 April 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  4. "Elected mayors for north-east of England as devolution deal announced". BBC News. 23 October 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  5. "Sajid Javid ends North East devolution deal". BBC News. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  6. "The Newcastle Upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland Combined Authority (Establishment and Functions) Order 2018". www.legislation.gov.uk.
  7. "The North East Joint Transport Committee". North East Combined Authority.
  8. "Proposal to establish a combined authority for Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear - Consultations". GOV.UK. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  9. "NECA website: Who are we?". Northeastca.gov.uk. Retrieved 2016-08-10.
  10. "North East Leadership Board Members | North East Combined Authority". North East Combined Authority. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
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