IT was a fine balancing act.

Handed a spirit level for guidance, Chancellor George Osborne was deep in concentration.

Kitted out in high-visibility jacket and hard hat, his brief was simple; lay a course of bricks.

Tentatively picking up and scooping mortar with a trowel at Carillion Training Services, near Middlesbrough, however, Mr Osborne didn’t exactly deliver a construction masterclass.

But he didn’t need to.

In reality, the carefully choreographed visit, captured by the furious snapping and chattering of photographers’ cameras, extended to more than that.

His Whitehall minders’ set-up was the perfect way to highlight the groundwork needed for his mayoral-led Northern Powerhouse.

Mr Osborne had some foundations to dig and some balance to tip, especially to convince those people of his intentions to build the North-East into a stronger entity with a plan centred upon the need for a mayor to attain devolved powers.

That was more than five months ago, and the Chancellor probably hasn’t come so close to masonry since.

What he has done, however, is receive another term in office after the Conservative’s General Election victory, and he and Prime Minister David Cameron have wasted no time in returning their focus to the North-East.

The Northern Powerhouse is the Government’s vision for a more prosperous North, driven by the lure of more decision-making muscle to local leaders, better transport links and more better paid jobs.

Throughout the build-up to the election, Mr Osborne was keen to talk up the powerhouse, while deflecting criticism he pays lip service to the Tees Valley and wider North-East in favour of Greater Manchester.

After the ballot, the Government pounced to maintain the powerhouse’s momentum, appointing Northern MP James Wharton, its minister for Stockton South, to lead the drive as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Mr Wharton was unveiled in the role alongside Mr Cameron at the Tetley tea factory in Eaglescliffe, near Stockton.

However, last week he got his first opportunity to push the virtues of the Northern Powerhouse for real.

Resplendent in the same high-visibility gear worn by the Chancellor at Carillion, Mr Wharton visited the site where Wearside firm Vantec Europe, which stores and distributes parts for Sunderland car maker Nissan and Darlington engine maker Cummins, will expand in a £23m 120-job warehouse in the region.

Just like the Chancellor’s Middlesbrough trip, it was the perfect backdrop to set out the Conservative’s growth plans.

Mr Wharton told The Northern Echo the region, including councils and local enterprise partnerships (LEPs), would achieve greater success through the powerhouse by uniting and working together.

He also pointed to Nissan, Newton Aycliffe train builder Hitachi, and Sirius Minerals’ £1.5bn plans for a 1,000-job fertiliser mine near Whitby, as clear examples of what can be achieved.

He said: “The North-East has already been successful in attracting investment.

“What we need to do is look at what powers it needs, so people don’t have to go down to Westminster every time a decision needs to be made.

“I want the North-East, places like Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Stockton and Darlington, our LEPs and our councils, to get as much out of the Northern Powerhouse as we can.

“There is a lot of good news out there.

“Nissan is expanding; Hitachi is bringing train building to Newton Aycliffe; we’ve got the steel production on Teesside and there are the plans for the potash mine in North Yorkshire.

“The Vantec site is absolutely massive too, and is great news for the region and an example of what the area can do.

“It shows the confidence of firms and I hope this investment is one of many to come.

“As a Government we are determined to ensure more businesses can thrive across our region.

“There are some huge projects coming here.”

The Northern Powerhouse plans have been criticised for their insistence on an elected mayor, who will work with local power holders.

Mr Osborne is immovable, however, saying it will deliver a governing revolution, and Mr Wharton said the North-East can benefit from such a structure.

He added: “Manchester is ahead of the game on this.

“They have already put forward proposals and have got Government support.

“But I’m excited about the powerhouse and the idea of everyone working together and working across party politics.

“I want to ensure the North-East gets the benefits.

“I’m very lucky; I’ve got the chance to be an MP in Government, but not just in Government, for my home area.

“I’m from the North and I’m really passionate about driving this region forward.

“There are lots of opportunities to do that.”