In the Devolution Deal the Mayor has the power to set a precept on council tax to fund mayoral functions and to ask to charge a business rate supplement.
78% of all miles travelled are by car, more in our vast rural areas. My plans will never penalise the motorist with low traffic areas or “Clean Air Zones” which just line the pockets of local councils.
A North East Mayoral Development Corporation will be created to bring our employment and housing sites to life. It will champion business acting as a gateway to investors and push our region’s talent and capability to a global audience.
The North East is bottom of the league when it comes to small business start ups. Even where we have successful start ups small businesses in the North East are reluctant to scale up and power our economy.
Education is my passion. It is the route to those Tory ideals of aspiration and opportunity, and out of poverty. There is little point in bringing the jobs of the future to the North East if those jobs aren’t filled by local people.
