The North East Combined Authority is a combined authority that covers most of the North East region of England. It was established by statutory instrument under the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 on 15 April 2014 with the statutory name Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland Combined Authority. It is a strategic authority with powers over transport, economic development and regeneration. The combined authority area is the same as that of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, and does not include Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool in the south of the North East region, which instead form a separate Tees Valley Combined Authority. At its first meeting on 15 April 2014, Simon Henig, Leader