The Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) is a statutory body for Tees Valley. The five local authorities, Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton unite under the Combined Authority to make decisions on key strategies relating to economic development, transport, infrastructure and skills. It creates a single voice for the area on these key matters, providing greater power and resources for the Tees Valley area.

The Combined Authority is not a ‘super-council’ or another version of Cleveland County Council – the five Tees Valley Councils will continue to exist in their own right delivering local services but unite as a formal Tees Valley Combined Authority to focus on economic development, transport, infrastructure and skills.

Since its inception in 2011, Tees Valley Unlimited, which was one of the first Local Enterprise Partnerships in the country to gain Government approval, has forged a reputation for delivering on jobs and growth.
The new statutory body will build on the firm economic foundations that have been established by TVU, which now is an integral part of the Combined Authority.

The Combined Authority will also mean that Tees Valley is ideally placed to negotiate with government to secure the transfer of additional powers and resources to the region from Whitehall.
The Combined Authority is a statutory body giving Government the certainty of structure and accountability that is necessary to devolve more significant amounts of money and levels of decision making
The five councils continue to operate in their own right, delivering local services to their areas, but are united as a formal Tees Valley Combined Authority on matters of economic development, transport, infrastructure and skills.

The new Combined Authority builds on the areas existing strengths, and helps to strengthen the local economy, bringing with it new business investment, the creation of more jobs and improved transport and local skills.