'I think we're being pied' says Mayor

THE Tees Valley mayor believes that he is being "pied" by Health Secretary Wes Streeting.

- By DANIEL HODGSON

Conservative Mayor Ben Houchen commented on the lack of a meeting to discuss a potential new hospital in Stockton, during a radio appearance, following a commitment being made by Labour's Mr Streeting last month to meet with Mayor Houchen.

Mayor Houchen was making a regular appearance on BBC Radio Tees on Wednesday, February 4, when he was asked if a date had been set for the much-anticipated meeting.

The answer was a resounding no, in spite of him writing twice more to the Health Secretary since Mr Streeting's appearance on the local radio station in January this year.

In total, there have been 15 letters to Mr Streeting's office, but they have not been successful and Mayor Houchen described the lack of development as a "clearly being fobbed off moment".