Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of loan documentation between Tees Valley Combined Authority and South Tees Development Corporation.

Governance and finance arrangements are considered as part of the Department’s holistic assessment of a local authority’s delivery of Best Value, as set out in the statutory guidance on Best Value standards and intervention.

We set out clearly that the Best Value Notice for Tees Valley Combined Authority will be reviewed after 12 months. Any decisions on the Notice will be based on a holistic judgement of all available information, including considered engagement with the authority about progress against its improvement plan.