CAMPAIGNERS for a Yes vote in this autumn's referendum for an elected North-East regional assembly are expecting good news today with a Government announcement of funding to help job creation and tackle the North/South divide.
Government Minister Nick Raynsford is due on Tyneside, where he is expected to announce an initiative, the Northern Growth Fund, to tackle the issue.
The programme will cover the whole of the North, with each of the three regional development agencies given funding to tackle the issue.
A spokesperson for Yes4the-NorthEast said: "This could be a very significant announcement.
"A regional assembly would be responsible for overseeing any One NorthEast activity, so it would have control over how this new money is spent.
"Under the current system, the RDA has to report back to London to approve everything. With an assembly the decisions would be made here in the region."
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