GETTING devolution for the North-East is becoming a torturous process, but at least steps are being made in the right direction.

The deal from the Government is far from perfect – we want more, more, more – but the only way it can be improved is by engaging with Whitehall. Sticking two fingers up and walking away, as Gateshead has been doing, might be an understandable venting of spleen but it isn’t going to encourage the Government, particularly as the Treasury has so many other regions, including the Tees Valley, which are pushing down the devolution road.

George Osborne’s Budgets are getting a reputation for not being worth the scuffed leather on the red box they are contained within – note the U-turn on primary schools becoming academies – but it is clear from his last speech that the Government is committed to this mayoralled devolution. Also Manchester, a Labour-led authority much further down the devolution road, is being handed real, meaningful powers.

The North-East is at the beginning of this process – by talking with the Government it is to be hoped that over the years what is now on offer will evolve into something more tangible.

However, it would be odd if the North-East become the “polo region” – the only region with a hole in it, like a well known mint.

Without the Tees Valley, the North-East region is already struggling for coherence, with Barnard Castle being a long way from Berwick and the two rural counties having different needs from the Tyne and Wear conurbations.

But if they were all doughnutting around Gateshead, that struggle would grow worse. It would look to the Government as if the whole region was not committed to the process, and the concept of electing a mayor to represent all the North-East except that bit in the middle to the south of the Tyne would be rather silly.

As ever, to get the best deal, the region must be united.