TWO of the North-East’s biggest universities have joined calls urging Rishi Sunak to bring hundreds of Government jobs to Teesside.

In a joint letter to the Chancellor, Teesside University and Durham University have backed the bid that would see 750 senior Whitehall officials move out of the capital to a purpose built northern economic campus, dubbed ‘Treasury North’.

The Northern Echo:

Writing to Mr Sunak the University Vice-Chancellors, Professor Stuart Corbridge for Durham and Professor Paul Croney for Teesside, said: “We are each based within 20 miles of the proposed Tees Valley campus location. Every year we produce thousands of highly skilled graduates across a wide suite of disciplines.

“We know that they would value the opportunity to place their skills at the Treasury’s service in the North and that they have the quality to deliver in the wide range of roles that the Treasury requires.”

In October the Prime Minister announced that 22,000 civil servants will be moved out of London by 2030 in the biggest reorganisation of the Civil Service in a generation.

The Northern Echo:

The plans have received cross party support from MPs, council leaders and other politicians across the region, however disagreement remains over the preferred location within the Tees Valley.

A new base at Teesside Airport remains the front runner for the new hub should Government decided to bring the jobs to Teesside, with Newcastle and Leeds also in the running.

However some believe a town centre location would be more suitable despite concerns over whether there is suitable space given the scale of the relocation plans.

In their letter the universities pledged to work with the Treasury “in a joined-up way” to ensure the department’s “skills and research needs continue to be met and to making Treasury North a success in the Tees Valley.”

The Northern Echo:

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “I am delighted that major universities from across the region have come out and backed my plan to bring hundreds of senior civil servant jobs to Teesside.

“I know some Whitehall officials have an outdated view of Teesside and think it’s all flat caps and grime, well there is no better challenge to this than having these highly respected universities say loudly and proudly that our region does in fact have the skilled workforce they would need.

“The relocation of the Civil Service is a once in a lifetime opportunity, if government get it right not only will we see a major change in outlook from those who make policy, but young people from across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool will see a career within the Civil Service as a real possibility.

“If they get it wrong all we will see is civil servants move from one metropolitan city to another like Leeds, Manchester or Newcastle, in doing so squandering a major opportunity to change how policymakers see the rest of the country.

“The Chancellor understand how critical this decision is and that it is key to showing people across Teesside, who lent the government their vote at the last general election, that levelling up really means something and is more than an empty slogan.”

Jessie Joe Jacobs, Labour candidate for Tees Valley Mayor, added: “If the government are serious about levelling up then they can’t replace one city to another. 

"The Tees Valley is an amazing place to live, work and play. From the stunning coast, the beautiful hills to the vibrant cultural scene, affordable homes and passionate people. 

"We are also served by two major universities and as a Durham alumni, and having recruited and employed a number of both Durham and Teesside graduates, I have seen first hand the excellence of the talent we have in our universities.

"We must do all we can to ensure we retain that talent, by having good graduate jobs, if not we face a brain drain of our brightest young people who should be encouraged to make their future and our future on Teesside.

"I am therefore strongly supporting the call for the treasury jobs to come to Teesside. Investment decisions have too often favoured London and the South East and this needs to change.

 "This would be a first step to rebalance power, so that areas like ours have more of a say over national and regional decision making and would also give us the shot in the arm we need to support the revival of our town centres, after a challenging few years.”