Press release: Government confirms responsibilities of new Borderlands Champion

Government has confirmed today (25 May 2018) the responsibilities of John Stevenson MP as the Borderlands Deal Champion.

Mr Stevenson, who represents the Carlisle constituency, was announced as the Champion for the pioneering Borderlands Growth Deal earlier this month by the Prime Minister. He will be the Champion for the English Borderlands councils, working with UK government and local partners to help progress the Deal towards agreement.

The Growth Deal represents a unique opportunity for 5 local councils in the Borderlands region to work with UK government, Scottish government and the private sector to spur investment and drive forward growth across the whole region.

Deal negotiations were started in January 2018 by the Secretary of State for Scotland, Rt Hon David Mundell MP, and the Minister for the Northern Powerhouse and Local Growth, Jake Berry MP.

Northern Powerhouse Minister, Jake Berry, said:

John Stevenson will be a strong voice for a Growth Deal which will supercharge growth, boost tourism and create new economic opportunities for communities across the region.

I look forward to working with him and our local partners on agreeing a deal which delivers for the people of the region while further enhancing the burgeoning economy of the Northern Powerhouse.

John Stevenson MP said:

I am delighted to be appointed as the government Borderlands Champion. This is an exciting opportunity for the region and I look forward to working with all parties to help to improve the economic performance of our region.

As part of the role, Mr Stevenson will:

• champion the Borderlands Growth Deal with stakeholders including local authorities, local councillors and MPs on a cross-party basis, local enterprise partnerships and local businesses
• gather intelligence on local issues and update government to help deliver this deal in a way that is locally informed
• attend events and meetings, along with local stakeholders and ministers as appropriate, to promote the Deal or projects

See a full copy of the letter sent from the Secretary of State, James Brokenshire, and Secretary of State for Scotland, Rt Hon David Mundell MP, appointing John Stevenson MP as the Borderlands Champion.

Further information

This role will be unpaid, advisory, and will not involve decision making over government policy. Growth Deal proposals to government will continue to be led by the Borderlands local authorities.

Photo used under Creative Commons.