SIX North-East leaders have written to the chancellor calling on him to move treasury jobs to Teesside.

The leaders of the five local authorities which make up Tees Valley, along with Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, signed the letter to chancellor Rishi Sunak, supporting the proposal to move civil service jobs to the North.

It says: "A major Treasury presence in the North would be a clear demonstration of the Government’s commitment to the levelling up agenda. "

It also reiterates previous calls not to move the jobs to a "metropolitan centre" like Manchester, Leeds or Newcastle, adding: "They need to come to a region like the one we represent.

"We believe that Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool is not only the right type of region in terms of the mix of towns and rural areas where opportunities have not always been realised by government in the past, but has a lot to offer in terms of the quality of our proposals, the opportunity to have the biggest possible levelling up impact through this project, and our fantastic people, whose skills and character can add strength to the civil service if they are given the opportunity."

The letter was signed by Darlington leader Heather Scott, Mary Lanigan, leader of Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton leader Bob Cook, Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston and Shane Moore, leader of Hartlepool Council.

Mr Sunak announced plans last year to move 22,000 jobs out of London by 2030.

Teesside Airport and Middlesbrough town centre have been touted as possible locations.