Agenda item

A report from the Leader of the Council is attached

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Shori presented a report providing an update on devolution to Greater Manchester.

It was explained that devolution is about local people making more of the decisions on local issues rather that those decisions being made by Whitehall and Westminster.

In 2017 Greater Manchester voted for the first directly elected Mayor. This was one of the conditions of devolution deals with the Treasury. The role of the Mayor has responsibility over transport, housing, policing, fire service provision and industry.

It was explained that the Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham had established a senior leadership team with three Deputy Mayors; Councillor Sir Richard Leese – Deputy for Economic Growth and Business; Baroness Beverley Hughes – Deputy for Policing and Crime and Councillor Rishi Shori – Deputy for Young People and Social Cohesion.

It was explained that each of the ten Council Leaders and Chief Executives was assigned to a Greater Manchester portfolio. Pat Jones - Greenhalgh is lead for Safer and Stronger Communities.

The our People Our Place – Greater Manchester Strategy was refreshed in July  and publically launched in October. The document outlines 10 priority areas with each having an implementation plan sitting under it;

• Children starting school ready to learn
• Young people equipped for life
• Good jobs for people to progress and develop
• A thriving economy in Greater Manchester
• World Class connectivity to keep GM moving
• Safe, decent and affordable housing
• Green city region with high quality culture and leisure for all
• Safe and strong communities
• Healthy lives with good quality care for those that need it
• Age- friendly Greater Manchester

It was also explained that Bury’s Health and Wellbeing Board had signed off on the Locality Plan which sets out the Transformation proposals for the borough in terms of the integration of health and social care, keeping people well for longer, reducing failure demand and tackling wider determinants of health.

The locality plan is an essential condition of accessing Transformation funding of which £19m has been successfully secured to develop new models of care.

It was explained that work was being carried out to understand the degree to which Bury is represented within the Greater Manchester governance environment. Attendance at regional scrutiny groups by councillors, council officers and other representatives such as colleagues from the CCG, Police or the local business community which will ensure that Bury can take advantage of opportunities within Greater Manchester.

The second version of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework was due to be published in June 2018 with an aim of maximising the regions brownfield sites.

It was reported that Greater Manchester had put itself forward to pilot 100% retention of business rates with effect from April 2017.

Those present were given the opportunity to ask questions and make comments and the following points were raised:

• Councillor Harris referred to Bury’s representation and asked whether opposition members would be invited to sit on the scrutiny panels mentioned.

Councillor Shori reported that opposition members were actively invited to sit on these panels. Councillor R Walker is a member of the Economy, Environment and Transport Group.

Councillor Shori stated that he would be more than happy to sit down with the opposition leaders to discuss representation on the groups.

• Councillor FitzGerald referred to public transport across Greater Manchester and asked what work was being carried out to improve the offer across the conurbation.

Councillor Shori explained that the GM Mayor had announced plans to utilise transport powers to reform bus services. A public consultation was due to carried out in the summer of 2018.

• Councillor Hankey referred to the Spatial Framework and the aim to maximise the use of brownfield sites and asked this would be undertaken.

It was explained that there was the 25% affordable housing policy and there could be the possibility of introducing something like a brownfield first policy which could look to work more with developers and introduce timescales etc.

• Councillor Caserta referred to the 100% business rates retention and asked how this was working across Greater Manchester.

Councillor Shori explained that the scheme was being run on a no detriment basis which was a top up and tariff system.

• Councillor James asked whether the business rates retention scheme would continue.

Councillor Shori explained that it was part of the devolution deal so has to be considered as staying.

• Councillor FitzGerald asked how Greater Manchester could ensure that it had good jobs on offer.

Councillor Shori reported that the Mayor had launched a number of strategies which would help to improve skills, living conditions, training options, IT, productivity, creativity and more which will make Greater Manchester more attractive to businesses and investors.

It was agreed:

That Councillor Shori be thanked for the update.