BEN Houchen has promised to continue fighting the corner of Tees Valley after securing re-election with an emphatic victory. 

Mr Houchen secured 72 per cent of the vote, with large majorities in each of the five combined authority areas.

He will now serve a second term representing the people of Darlington, Teesside and Hartlepool.

In his victory speech, Mr Houchen said there was still a long way to go.

He said: "We have not seen the peak of what we can achieve. I'm very proud to continue with what we have started.

"There's still a long way to go. I'm not going to stand here and pat myself on the back. We need to get back to work.

"We have made a fanastic start."

Speaking to the Echo after his victory, he said the Government would have to show sustained interest in the region if the Conservatives are to repeat their electoral success.

He said: "If the Conservative Government wants to win the next general election they are not going to be able to take Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool for granted.

"A lot of areas that now have Conservative MPs, including Hartlepool, will be judged on whether they have delivered for local people.

"We've made a great start with things like the treasury and free port and airport and a whole list of other things. We need to do much, much more.

"This is not the end of the road, its the start. We've put a load of building blocks and foundations in place but there's a huge amount of work to do and a long way to go."

While turnout was low at just over 33 per cent it was more than double that of the last mayoral election.

Mr Houchen added: “I’m now elected with a big mandate and I want to continue what we’ve started because irrespective of whether people voted for me or not the things we are delivering will benefit everyone and bring jobs, investment and opportunities for local people.”

Labour’s Jessie Joe Jacobs pointed to the poverty and mental health problems blighting parts of Teesside in her results speech. 

The Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) doesn’t have control over health and social care yet – but Mr Houchen has called for more powers in the past and wanted a “conversation” on the subject with Government chiefs.

Last week, health secretary Matt Hancock told the Echo he was “open” to seeing whether further powers could be devolved.

“I do think we should have more control over health,” added Mr Houchen.

“If the Government devolved the funding to the combined authority and the mayor, rather than the CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group), which I think is largely unaccountable and people aren’t aware of it, then that’s a sensible thing. 

“You allow clinicians to get on and deliver the services at our local hospitals but actually you’ve got political accountability as to where health services should be funded. 

“What’s unique about our area is different from elsewhere. If you look at the North-East as a whole, we’ve got a higher percentage of people aged over 70 and that comes with unique health requirements.

“For a lot of people furthest away from the job market, there are often a lot of health barriers to get back into employment.

“There is a marriage between investment in jobs and improving the health outcomes and lives of people as well.”