NHC chief executive Tracy Harrison writes “It was brilliant to see over 30 of the North’s local and regional papers come together to call on political leaders to ‘Power up the North’.

We are proud to represent 93% of the North’s housing providers and local authorities; and we share this ambition. Our members own and manage 1.2million homes across the North, but we want to do even more. That’s why the call for a new generation of social and affordable homes is so important. Whether it’s building new homes for social rent, utilising innovative modern methods of construction or bringing existing buildings back into use, the North’s housing providers are investing in homes and communities. Government must maintain and expand this support at the Spending Review, whenever it comes.

Of course, in some parts of the North, the priority is to rejuvenate the existing housing stock, which is why it’s vital that the call for a long-term, fully-devolved shared prosperity fund is heeded by Westminster. Strategic decisions on regeneration and revitalisation should be taken by the local leaders who know these communities best.

The next Prime Minister will face several challenges, but we’ll be judging them by how they respond to their biggest opportunity: their chance to power up the North.”