Latest news with #Teesworks
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Ben Houchen quizzed on Teesworks in BBC Radio Tees hotseat
The Tees Valley Mayor has been quizzed on his involvement in the Teesworks site while in the BBC Radio Tees Houchen was asked by a listener why he continued to defend "an organisation that has had a very critical independent review".He admitted there was room for improvement at Teesworks but defended the organisation for providing "billions of pounds of investment" for the independent review into claims of cronyism and corruption surrounding finances at the Teesworks site in 2024 found no evidence of wrongdoing, but criticised a lack of transparency. Houchen said: "Most of the controversy that came about over the last couple of years was highly political."He spoke of one large investment which he said had been deterred from committing to the region because of the controversy."As soon as those accusations were made it caused certain investors to pause looking at Teesside as a location for investment," he told BBC Radio Tees."There was one particular investor, Atlantic SuperConnector, that people can look up that publicly decided not to come to Teesside with their £800m investment because of the accusations that had been made."That's 1,200 permanent jobs that are not coming to the region because of that." Auditor recommendations On Tuesday, a Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) cabinet meeting was held in reaction to criticism of the local authority from Ernst and Young (EY) a 40-minute meeting, the TVCA director of finance highlighted three recommendations in the EY report, according to the Local Democracy Reporting combined authority was recommended to review the finance team "to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to support the breadth of its activities" and its process around the public inspection period "to ensure it fully understands the statutory requirements".It was also asked to set out a clear timetable for the production of its 2024-25 recommendations were all approved by the cabinet the BBC Tees interview, Houchen was also asked questions about Teesside International Airport, Tees Flex buses, when the cycle lane on Linthorpe Road will be closed and crime in Stockton. Additional reporting by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Applications open for £15k job working 36 days a year
Applications are now open for three jobs involved in the regeneration of Teesside. The roles have opened up after Conservative Mayor Ben Houchen confirmed he would step down from the three positions at the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) cabinet annual general meeting on June 27. The TVCA said the three roles would require a commitment of three days a month for a salary of £15,120 per year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported. Houchen currently chairs the South Tees, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool development corporations tasked with regenerating the area including the former Redcar Steelworks, now known as Teesworks. He said the roles needed "driven individuals" who were "visionary" to forge strong partnerships across the public and private sectors. Appointments are made by Houchen for a period of up to four years. The mayor agreed to step aside from the roles after advice from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on 3 April the same day that the TVCA was hit with a Best Value Notice. The advice explains that the role of the mayor of a combined authority is to establish a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), make appointments to the MDC Board and provide oversight. In this context, MDC is not to be confused with the Middlesbrough Development Corporation. The government is clear that legislation does not prevent a mayor from being chair of an MDC, however, "their oversight role is not compatible with them also taking the role of chair. "The oversight function should be clearly separate from decision making to avoid conflicts of interest." MDC is advancing projects such as the £200m regeneration of a site in Gresham. In Hartlepool, the development corporation is playing a role in the planned improvements to the town's film and TV production studios. Houchen said: "We're looking for visionary, driven individuals who can lead our development corporations at this exciting time and help us get the very best for local people." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Tories may need Reform coalition, says Ben Houchen Ben Houchen says new mayors 'redress power imbalance' We can do better on Teesworks project - Houchen Tees Valley Combined Authority
BBC News
10-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Applications open for £15k Teesside job working 36 days a year
Applications are now open for three jobs involved in the regeneration of Teesside. The roles have opened up after Conservative Mayor Ben Houchen confirmed he would step down from the three positions at the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) cabinet annual general meeting on June 27. The TVCA said the three roles would require a commitment of three days a month for a salary of £15,120 per year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported. Houchen currently chairs the South Tees, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool development corporations tasked with regenerating the area including the former Redcar Steelworks, now known as Teesworks. He said the roles needed "driven individuals" who were "visionary" to forge strong partnerships across the public and private are made by Houchen for a period of up to four years. The mayor agreed to step aside from the roles after advice from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on 3 April the same day that the TVCA was hit with a Best Value Notice. The advice explains that the role of the mayor of a combined authority is to establish a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), make appointments to the MDC Board and provide oversight. In this context, MDC is not to be confused with the Middlesbrough Development government is clear that legislation does not prevent a mayor from being chair of an MDC, however, "their oversight role is not compatible with them also taking the role of chair. "The oversight function should be clearly separate from decision making to avoid conflicts of interest."MDC is advancing projects such as the £200m regeneration of a site in Hartlepool, the development corporation is playing a role in the planned improvements to the town's film and TV production said: "We're looking for visionary, driven individuals who can lead our development corporations at this exciting time and help us get the very best for local people." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
09-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
TVCA to 'reflect' on mayoral conflict of interest guidance
A combined authority says it will "reflect carefully" on government advice stating mayors of such organisations should not chair Mayoral Development Corporations (MDCs) to "avoid conflicts of interest".But Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) did not say whether elected Conservative Mayor Ben Houchen would step down from his role chairing three advice was issued on 3 April, the same day the TVCA was hit with a Best Value Notice - meaning it must work with the government to make sure public money is being used appropriately. Houchen declined to comment when approached by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Although the government guidance was issued for all MDCs across the country, it was created to address a recommendation from the Tees Valley Review - an independent investigation into the Teesworks come into existence after a regional mayor designates a mayoral development area with the object of securing regeneration there. Separate roles As of January 2025, there are two MDCs in London, one in Manchester and three in the Tees Valley - the latter all chaired by are the South Tees Development Corporation, the Middlesbrough Development Corporation and the Hartlepool Development government said oversight of MDCs "should be clearly separate from decision making to avoid conflicts of interest."Bearing in mind mayors of combined authorities provide oversight of MDCs, and have powers in relation to the issuing of guidance and direction to an MDC, "the mayor should not be the chair of an MDC," the guidance it was reported that within the Tees Valley Review there was discussion of "perceived conflicts of interest" and this resulted in changes at the top of the South Tees Development Corporation (STDC), however Houchen remained both chair of TVCA and of STDC. When asked in December what his reasoning was for this, he said: "The development corporation is my project, and it gives more political accountability to have the directly elected mayor as the chairman of the public body."A TVCA spokesman said MDCs had cut through bureaucracy to secure investment and added: "We will reflect carefully on the government's updated guidance and work with partners to make any necessary adjustments, while keeping our absolute focus on delivering real outcomes for local people." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
