Devolution to the north east: will it finally happen?

Local government representatives, academics and others from the north east of England gathered recently in Newcastle to discuss the future of devolution initiatives in the region. This was the first in a series of events across the country organised by the British Academy as part of their Governing England programme. The discussion took place in the context of the recent rejection of the North East Devolution Agreement, negotiated in 2015 between the UK Government and the seven local authorities that comprise the North East Combined Authority (NECA). While Newcastle, Northumberland and North Tyneside backed the proposals, the plan was rejected by County Durham, Sunderland, Gateshead and South Tyneside.

This paper highlights the key points from the discussion.