COUNCILLORS have been updated on the importance of a successful City Deal bid from the government.

Stephen Catchpole, managing director of Tees Valley Unlimited (TVU), told members of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council’s cabinet that the first stage of the application had been submitted and he would find out next month whether it had made it through to the next round.

If the bid is successful he said the cash that would come from the deal would enable TVU and the local authority to spend the money on their own specific projects across the borough despite concerns from members that the amount of funding available would not be as large as hoped for.

Mr Catchpole said: “Even if there is no more money available, even if you only get the same money from the government we will probably be able to spend it better. This area needs complex solutions, our problems are not easy to solve, putting up one site for funding will not transform our problems across the area.

“What happens if we don’t get any funding? The world doesn’t come to an end but it will take us longer to achieve our targets.”

This region is competing with 20 rivals, including the likes of Reading, Preston, Ipswich and Staffordshire, with only about 12 expected to make the final shortlist to be announced in mid-February.

Part of Tees Valley's plan will be to extend the successful Foundation for Jobs campaign which has sought to tackle the rising tide of youth unemployment blighting the region.