MEANWHILE back in the real world, another day and another report on the economic prospects of the North- East, with promises of 60,000 jobs.

I often wonder what the man or woman on their 100th unsuccessful job application or on the soul-destroying trudge to the Jobcentre feels when they read about these visions.

Not much I imagine, the picture they paint being so different from their own bleak reality.

But it is down to civic and business leaders to make it happen, to bridge the gap between present despair and future promise.

Lord Adonis’ North-East Independent Economic Review refers, of course, to the north of the region, setting out the challenges for the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) for Durham, Wearside and Tyneside.

On Teesside we have our own LEP, created to reflect our economic priorities based around the process and manufacturing industries, carbon capture and digital technology.

Our plans complement those of our neighbours but reflect our own strengths and the direction we want our local economy to take.

Our local economy. Welcome as this report is, the future has to be about self-determination for the North-East. Neither our economy, nor our daily lives should be run by Whitehall for the convenience of the overheated South-East.

We will get sustainable economic growth when the business and civic leaders driving forward our growth plans can determine regional economic policy and spending and investment priorities without central government looking over their shoulders.

When money for investment in infrastructure, renewable energy, transport, public services, arts and education isn’t doled out by central government, but controlled by locally accountable people and organisations who live and breathe the region’s air.

The Adonis plans suggests a single body to co-ordinate investment for the North of the region. In the Tees Valley, cross boundary cooperation between local authority areas working for the common good is already a given. So let’s take it a step further.

A single organisation elected by and accountable to the people of the region – not appointed by Government – to co-ordinate our economic development and plan strategically for the development of public services and transport, would give the North-East massive clout and credibility and allow us to compete as an equal with regions in the UK, Europe and trading partners further afield.

We had a debate about such an organisation nearly ten years ago. It was called the Regional Assembly and it fell apart in a welter of misunderstanding and public cynicism about its cost and purpose.

But times, have changed and needs become more urgent. It is time to think again.

NORTHUMBRIA University has been examining what makes football referees tick. Apparently, what keeps them going while the crowd is howling abuse, and their decisions are being disputed by armchair umpires, is a simple belief in their own superiority.

However bad things get, they think they can do the job better than anyone else. We’re all a bit like that. In extreme cases it leads to the delusion that you are indispensable – something I call politician’s syndrome.

So next time you’re tempted to have a go at the ref, maybe you should bite your tongue. They really do know more than you about the offside rule, just ask them.