THE control of post-19 education in the Tees Valley has now been transferred from central government to the area.

Education secretary Damian Hinds has signed off the paperwork that will see £30.5m worth of funding now being controlled by the Tees Valley Combined Authority to administer.

Coming into force on August 1 next year, the powers will encompass adult education delivery contracts, funding, and management for learners in the Tees Valley.

The funding will target the training paths needed to connect with business demand, driving business growth and helping residents fill job roles.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “We will use this £30million fund to completely transform post-19 education to ensure learners can gain the skills that local businesses desperately need.

“No more funding courses just to keep the cash flowing. The new system we are designing will ensure priority is given to those subjects that our employers need.

"For decades, some companies took the easy way out and brought in cheap labour to fill demand. But with this new fund, we will start investing in home-grown talent by re-training local people to fill our skills gap. This landmark deal has only come about because our area agreed to a directly-elected Mayor, showing once again that devolution is working for local people.

“My priority is, and always will be, to support the creation of more jobs, ensure these jobs are better paid, and that local workers are put at the front of the queue. With these news powers handed to us from Parliament, that job just got a whole lot easier.”

Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher, combined authority cabinet member for education, employment and skills and leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “We might have got these powers over the finish line, but it’s only the beginning for us. We have a new opportunity to make a direct, meaningful impact directly on the lives of people across Tees Valley, prepare them for good jobs and give them the skills they need to succeed in rewarding careers.

“We now have the ability to take local decisions on how and where we spend our money, and make sure that goes further than ever to achieve our aims of driving prosperity for everyone.”