THE inaugural cabinet meeting of a new North-East authority is set to be held this week after a parliamentary order confirming its creation was signed.

Local politicians joined Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry to sign the order which officially formed the North of Tyne Combined Authority, and will encompass the councils of Northumberland, Newcastle and North Tyneside.

To mark the creation of the authority, the first cabinet meeting has been scheduled for today at Morpeth Town Hall.

During the meeting, members will assign cabinet roles and responsibilities, set the budget for 2018 and 2019 and agree a timetable for the selection of an interim mayor to support the authority ahead of the first appointment of a permanent mayor in May 2019.

It is hoped the new authority will help generate £1.1bn for the local economy, create 10,000 new jobs and drive more than £2.1bn in private sector investment.

Coun. Peter Jackson, leader of Northumberland County Council, said: “So much work has gone into securing the best deal for the North of Tyne, and I’m delighted we can now move forward with the real business of driving the region’s economic growth. We’re working on a number of exciting and transformative schemes which will benefit millions of people in the region now, as well as future generations.”