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More than 1,000 Whitehall officials will have relocated to Darlington when the full scale of the Government's Treasury North project is complete, with 750 Treasury officials and hundreds of staff from other Government departments including Business and International Trade set to join them, the final total will be well in excess of 1,000.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak told Treasury officials that they would be relocating from London to Darlington, beating off competition from Newcastle, Leeds and Bradford.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said Darlington was experiencing "a new boom time", whilst Darlington Council leader Heather Scott said there was a "buzz of excitement" in the town.
“Since the Budget, we have already been approached by a number of very large businesses from accountancy firms, law firms and other finance businesses looking to relocate to Darlington to be near to the Treasury.”
“So this isn’t just about 750 jobs coming to Darlington, it is about a new boom time for the people of Darlington and hopefully, on top of the 750 jobs, we are also going to be seeing hundreds of other jobs from other government departments relocating to Darlington, as well as the Treasury.
During his Budget speech, Mr Sunak said: "I'm launching the first round of the levelling-up fund today.
"Along with other critical economic departments including Business Energy and Industrial strategy, Department for International Trade and MHCLG - Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government - we will establish a new economic campus in Darlington - redrawing out economic map means rebalancing our economic investment."
Mayor of Darlington, Chris McEwan, said: "One aspect of this it may well get economics graduates staying in the region from Durham or Newcastle."
Rishi Sunak visited the County Durham market town of Darlington to hear from the new recruits about how they have settled into their roles – as the government comes good on its promise to ensure those living outside of the Westminster bubble can be at the heart of government decision-making.
The department has reached a third of its target to have up to 300 Treasury roles based at the new cross-government hub, as part of a drive to have more than 1,100 new roles based there by 2025 and a key example of how the government is delivering on its promise to level up. The majority of staff have been recruited directly to the campus and the remainder are existing staff who have also chosen to relocate from London.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak said:
“It’s fantastic that so many talented people here in the North East and beyond have taken up the opportunity to work in the heart of government in Darlington with more than 110 Treasury staff now in post. I am delighted that we are in the final stages of finding a permanent site for our new campus which is creating jobs for local people, spreading opportunity and levelling up.”
Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, said:
“Securing the Treasury’s new Economic Campus for Darlington means local people from across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool can work at the heart of government without leaving the place they love and call home.”
This is only the beginning, with hundreds more upcoming jobs in the Civil Service giving local people huge opportunities to succeed.
It comes just a year after the Chancellor announced Darlington would be the home for the Campus, which will have more than 1,100 new roles based there by 2025.
Alongside the Treasury, it will house teams from the Department for International Trade, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Office for National Statistics and the Competition and Markets Authority. They will be working alongside the Department for Education who already have a base in Darlington.
A staff member who relocated from London to work in the public spending group said:
“I have really welcomed the opportunity to work in a smaller town and enjoy what living in County Durham offers – from a greener environment and more leisurely pace of life, to being able to walk to my workplace. It’s really the small things that matter.”