Serving the Teesside Business Community | 53
With Chris McDonald( centre) of the Materials Processing Institute are the Tees Valley mayoral candidates, from left: Ben Houchen, John
Tennant, Sue Jeffrey and John Tait.
MEET THE
MAYORAL CANDIDATES
Teesside and Darlington will soon be given an opportunity to vote for a first Tees Valley mayor.
Taking place on May 4, the election covers the local authorities of Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton and Darlington.
With so much potentially at stake for Tees businesses, we took an opportunity to ask candidates Sue Jeffrey( Labour), Ben Houchen( Conservative), John Tennant( UKIP) and John Tait( North East Party) their views on some key issues …
Will the Tees Valley mayor have the power to make a real difference to the region? Sue Jeffrey: The mayor will lead on delivering a £ 450m regeneration programme identified by five Tees Valley councils and the LEP, but to focus on that misses the point. The mayor will only succeed if they bring people together, ensuring our united voice is heard in London and beyond. John Tennant: Yes, powers devolved from ministers will put the Mayor in a position to drive economic regeneration in Teesside, but more crucially those powers will be held by a mayor from the area and not Westminster or Whitehall mandarins who know nothing about Teesside. John Tait: The role will provide a single voice for the area in London, throughout the country and abroad to project a coherent picture of the Tees Valley, its opportunities and challenges. The specific powers on transport will allow the mayor to overcome one of the area’ s key barriers to economic development. Ben Houchen: Yes, from making significant decisions on transport infrastructure across the area to business investment, the mayor will play an important role across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool. The mayor will have a huge say in social issues too, from the future of Cleveland Police to provision of and access to education across the area.
What will be your business priorities as Tees Valley mayor? Sue Jeffrey: I have a long record of working with business, both in the private sector and the public sector, and I know that our businesses have to set their priorities, not be told what I think they should be. That’ s why on investment and skills it is vital we work together. John Tennant: Infrastructure improvements, access to work and new transport plans. Businesses need to invest in an area that will work for them, that requires good infrastructure and connections within the region as well as the rest of the country. With good infrastructure, we can build economic growth. John Tait: To create the quality and quantity of jobs the area deserves, by making the Tees Valley the most attractive area to start new businesses and grow existing ones. This is about infrastructure, support, developing the skills in local people and taking advantage of our very distinctive heritage and assets in engineering, steel, chemicals, the ports and railways. Ben Houchen: To make big strategic decisions on the area’ s transport infrastructure. Also to set up an investment fund for SMEs to access funding more easily, rather than the more cumbersome way through the existing fragmented grant scheme systems. This will attract additional monies to generate a real war chest to help business succeed.
Many believe the region suffers from an identity problem. What’ s your view and how would you plan to tackle the issue? Sue Jeffrey: The Tees Valley has for too long faced the dual threat of being ignored by London while living in the shadow of Leeds and Newcastle. But while others argue over what devolution is right, we have taken a programmatic approach and are ready to take charge of our own future. John Tennant: I actually think our identity is a unique one, but it does suffer from a lack of support from Westminster. A mayor with a bold and ambitious approach can help make Teesside a success once again and secure the future of the region for residents and business investors alike. John Tait: The Tees Valley and its people have common background in innovation, geography and industry. It’ s no coincidence that the world’ s first successful steam railway was from Darlington to Stockton, later extended to Middlesbrough. Hartlepool and Redcar. We have an identity – it is a matter of communicating the new name. Ben Houchen: My strong belief is that we are Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool. While all of these areas have common strategic goals, it’ s important to remember the uniqueness of these areas so as to be able to represent all residents and to deliver what is best for them.