Chancellor George Osbourne has today announced plans for Greater Manchester to have a directly appointed Mayor leading the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) – the first such appointment outside of the capital – and part of the agreed devolution plans relinquishing total central control.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast this morning Mr Osbourne said this was …
“one of the biggest changes to civic agenda in this country’s history”.
He continued to say that giving greater power and a stronger voice to Manchester and the local boroughs will help to achieve the Government’s vision of creating a Northern Powerhouse where budgets are more locally controlled and decisions, including investment in skills, transport infrastructure transport, are made by people best placed to know what is required and deliverable.
The Greater Manchester Mayor election is expected to take place in 2017; the elected mayor would differ from current local mayors as he or she will control more than one local authority and have greater and far reaching powers.
Mr Osbourne is hoping that other UK cities will follow Greater Manchester’s lead:
“Giving cities power is part of our long term economic plan to reduce the decades-old gap between north and south, London and the rest.”
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