Let me just say it. Its time to stop the Greater Manchester
Devolution.
Stop it, rethink it.
There seems to be so much wrong with this
process that, not only is there an independent campaign calling for a referendum [1]
but even Greater Manchester’s local newspapers, including the Manchester
Evening News, have bandied together to form a ‘Fair
Devolution’ campaign [2] to get a better deal.
So what are some of the things wrong?
Housing. The £300
million pound fund [3] has mainly gone to private developers despite there
being over 80,000 people on Greater Manchester housing
waiting lists [4] and a sharp rise in homelessness. As it is currently
structured it is very difficult for social landlords to access this fund to
build badly needed social housing. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Health. The health budget
(offered at £6 billion) [5] has been devolved and is thought to be between £1
to 2 billion less than it needs to run properly [6]. This will cause even
further strain on the regional NHS. It remains to be seen if this regional
approach is a threat
to how the NHS operates as a whole. [7]
Democracy. The majority of people in Greater Manchester
know very little about this devolution process at the moment. The last time the
issue of an elected mayor came up it was rejected by Manchester
[8]. Having the role now imposed as part of the devolution deal, the interim
Mayor was chosen with no opportunity for public discussion or public hustings
[9]. The forthcoming full Mayoral elections will require a substantial
amount of money to run [10]. This greatly narrows the field of potential
candidates.
As it stands, devolution doesn’t address the towns
‘left behind’ in Greater Manchester [11], the cuts
to the police [12] or local Councils
[13]. And it should do all of these things as well as being good
for business [14].
Crucially, in addition, this devolution, ignores the
potential of the process to reignite the Climate Change and Poverty agendas
that are critical to the future for all of us.
Devolution as policy and principle is a good thing. When
its works properly, it allows people to have a greater say in democracy, it
allows greater responsiveness to the needs of those people. But that is not
what is happening in Greater Manchester.
In Greater Manchester, a historic opportunity is becoming a
badly thought through mess. Innovation is no guarantee of progress.
The Green Party in Manchester, as the second largest party
in the city by vote, want a proper say for the people of this region.
Its not too late to stop this version of devolution. And
rethink it.
Notes
- https://www.facebook.com/devolutionreferendumcampaign/
- http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/manchester-devolution-fair-deal-campaign-10205154
- http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/300m-housing-fund-designed-unlock-9570783
- https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/388698/LT_600.xlsx
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-31615218
- http://clahrc-gm.nihr.ac.uk/2015/11/helping-to-understand-health-and-social-care-devolution-in-greater-manchester/
- http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/nov/11/devolving-health-social-care-manchester-nhs; http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/health/andy-burnhams-warning-over-swiss-cheese-8721228
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17949950
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-32332399; http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/tony-lloyd-chosen-greater-manchester-9357302
- http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/greater-manchester-mayor-devolution-problems-11004805
- http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/northern-powerhouse-looking-grim-10-7461583
- http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/thinning-blue-line-gmp-left-9731055
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-35360250
- http://www.uk-northern-powerhouse.com/; http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/business-news/thousands-expected-major-northern-powerhouse-10945003
