Everything you need to know ahead of polling day in Tees Valley

Voters take to the polls on Thursday in the Tees Valley to select their mayor, choosing between incumbent Conservative Ben Houchen, Labour’s Chris McEwan, and Liberal Democrat Simon Thorley. Recent polling saw the candidates at 47, 47 and 6 per cent, respectively.
Leigh Jones
By Leigh Jones
Published 27th Apr 2024, 06:00 BST

Lord Houchen is seeking a third term in the office he’s held since its establishment in 2017, overseeing the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA), campaigning largely on his track record of delivery in his seven years in the job. Labour’s Chris McEwan has proposed taking public control of the region’s buses, similar to Labour mayors Andy Burnham in Greater Manchester and Tracy Brabin in West Yorkshire. Meanwhile a key pledge of Liberal Democrat Simon Thorley is to impose a tax on the private partners at Teesworks to “recover profits” handed to them.

The election slogan “A record of delivery, a promise of more” highlights projects delivered during Ben Houchen’s seven years in office, including buying Teesside’s airport and investing in renovating many of the region’s rail stations.

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If re-elected the incumbent mayor has pledged to build a new general hospital, although the government has said he did not have the powers to do so. He told The Yorkshire Post: “We have all the powers I need. People said I didn't have any control over aviation, or the freeport or bringing the Treasury to Darlington - but we did it.”

Saltburn beach on the Cleveland coast.Saltburn beach on the Cleveland coast.
Saltburn beach on the Cleveland coast.

Labour candidate Chris McEwan, deputy leader of Darlington Council, held his launch event at Middlesbrough FC’s Riverside Stadium. The football club’s owner Steve Gibson, a former ally of Lord Houchen’s, announced his support for Mr McEwan this week, while strongly criticising Lord Houchen and the agreement which saw 90 per cent of the Teesworks public-private joint venture handed over to private interests.

Mr McEwan’s slogan, “A mayor you can trust”, could be seen as a reference to the government review into the governance of Teesworks which criticised a lack of transparency and gave 28 recommendations to be implemented. At his launch event he said he would “open the books” and supports a National Audit Office investigation into the matter.

Among Mr McEwan’s key pledges are to re-introduce free parking in town centres after funding to subsidise it was withdrawn by TVCA a year ago.

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Lib Dem candidate Simon Thorley, a Darlington entrepreneur who owns an international language training business, has said he will impose a Community Infrastructure Levy on future sales of land to the Teesworks partners in order to restore funds to the public sector following the controversial share transfer.

Mr Thorley has also pledged an annual £25m Early Years Support fund to help provide baby boxes to new parents and subsidise free school meals as well as using the mayor’s education budget to provide Individual Learning Grants which he says will allow “any local resident to apply for financial support to study a course which they want to study, when they want to study it.”

The count will take place on Friday, with the winner expected to be announced shortly after midday.

Related topics:Ben HouchenLabourLiberal Democrat

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