I have not seen the adverts for spinning combo's but I have done a lot of spinning/ leadheading for pollack and bass and used my spinning gear for leadheading and ledgering for wrasse. The reel I now use is a shimano 4000 baitrunner and it has never let me down. The rod is a scierra 9' spinning rod and this combo has landed double figure pollack.
When I first started out I did use cheap rods and reels but the reels rarely lasted long and I lost a lot of fish because the rod didn't have the backbone to stop the fish getting into the kelp and other snags. Or the reels gears got stripped trying to haul the buggers in.
If you can, go into your local tackle shop and check the rods out. Make sure they have a bit of backbone and don't bend double when you flex them.
As for the reels buy the best quality you can afford. Shimano and Daiwa are probably the best. Some of the DAM and Wychwood reels are good too and if you can find a good one on the auction sites the old Ryobi GT 3000 etc were good value for money. Don't know much about Okuma etc but I'm sure some others will be able to give you advice on them and others. Apart from the Ryobi I would go for a minimum of 4000 size reel.
There are some big pollack and wrasse in the sea around SE Scotland particularly if you get off the beaten track. I have had most success using a leadhead and rag/jellyworm for pollack and wrasse and spinners and plugs for bass. I am fairly certain that NE England will have some good marks too it will just be a case of finding them.
The only thing I can add is that pollack and wrasse seem to be territorial and with pollack in particular, if you don't return them, a mark can be fished out very quickly and take years to repopulate.
Hope this info helps.