A top Treasury boss has vowed the Government will make devolution work and rejuvenate high streets during a visit to the region, making promises about two key priorities in The Northern Echo's manifesto.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Emma Reynolds toured No.11 North at the Darlington Economic Campus and a soft play centre in Northallerton, where she backed efforts to shift power away from Westminster and support struggling town centres.
Her comments came just a day after Prime Minister Andy Burnham threw his support behind the same two Echo manifesto priorities during a visit to the North East.
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury Emma Reynolds at work in No.11 North at the Darlington Economic Campus
(Image: Simon Walker / HM Treasury)
On Wednesday (August 19), Mr Burnham backed calls to 'make devolution of power work' and 'save our high streets from decay' as part of the manifesto, which we launched last month.
And yesterday (August 20), Ms Reynolds reiterated those same sentiments, as she backed the Government to invest in high streets.
This includes the announcement of a 20 per cent cut to business rates for pubs, social clubs, and live music venues in England, starting in April 2027 and the potential to increase tax rates on vape shops, which the Treasury secretary called a "blight on high streets".
"We want businesses to thrive on the high street, and people to spend more and more time on the high streets," she said, speaking during a visit to Crazy Kingdom in Northallerton.
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Emma Reynolds, visited Crazy Kingdom in Northallerton, a local soft play centre, where she met parents and children enjoying the facilities
(Image: Simon Walker / HM Treasury)
"The business rates we give to places that have a negative impact on our high streets, we want to increase these, so independent businesses and the positive influences can thrive."
Mr Burnham had struck a similar tone a day earlier, saying the Government wanted to reform business rates to reward businesses that support high streets rather than those which could contribute to their decline.
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Emma Reynolds, visited Crazy Kingdom in Northallerton, a local soft play centre, where she met parents and children enjoying the facilities
(Image: Simon Walker / HM Treasury)
He said: “There is more to come there in relation to reform of business rates, to reward the businesses that help high streets as opposed to those that sometimes cause further harm, vape shops, and adult gaming centres.
“The high streets of the North East absolutely are going to get more support.”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham during a visit to homelessness charity Changing Lives in Newcastle
(Image: Scott Heppell/PA Wire)
On devolution, Ms Reynolds noted the Government's creation of No10 North, No11 North and continued pledges of devolution for other parts of the UK, outside of Whitehall.
"Today, I also visited Darlington and saw a vision of what devolution can be for the North East and the North of England," she added.
Her comments build on Mr Burnham's pledge that there would be "more power coming to the North East" after he was handed The Northern Echo's manifesto in person in Newcastle.
The Prime Minister committed to look “in detail” at six key priorities that we want him to deliver for Echo readers.
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He immediately backed the two demands on devolution and high streets and said he would examine the remaining issues “rather than give any glib promises”.
“They are all important issues,” Mr Burnham told the Echo, exactly one month after we launched our manifesto as he moved into Number 10.
The other priorities in the Echo's manifesto include calling for a public inquiry into the breast cancer scandal at the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, committing to Maya's Law, speeding up the public inquiry into the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, and compensating the victims of the Kirklevington Detention Centre scandal.