TVCA to 'reflect carefully' on chair mayor guidance

A COMBINED authority will "reflect carefully" on government advice which states that combined authority mayors should not chair Mayoral Development Corporations (MDCs).

- By DANIEL HODGSON Local democracy reporter

Tees Valley Combined Authority did not directly answer whether Ben Houchen would step down from his role chairing three MDCs across the Tees Valley, as new government advice has been published which states that mayors should not hold such a position.

Advice from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), issued on April 3 - the same day that the TVCA was hit with a Best Value Notice explains the role of the mayor of a combined authority is to establish a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), make appointments to the MDC Board and provide oversight.

In this context, MDC is not to be confused with the Middlesbrough Development Corporation.

Mayor Houchen chairs three MDCs which are the South Tees Development Corporation, the Middlesbrough Development Corporation and the Hartlepool Development Corporation. MDCs come into existence (through secondary legislation) after a regional mayor designates a mayoral development area with the object of securing regeneration for that area.

As of January 2025, there are two MDCs in London, one in Manchester and three in the Tees Valley.