Despite, or in spite of, the apathy that surrounds Greater Manchester devolution and its elected Greater Manchester Mayor, the process is pushing forward at alarming speed...or, with what the Parliamentary Select Committee called "a consistent very significant lack of public consultation, engagement and communication at all stages of the deal-making process..."
In an effort to placate such bodies, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), which includes representatives from the ten local authorities, launched a consultation on its new devolved powers, which ends on Wednesday 18th May.
"In this consultation we will outline what the new devolved powers are and ask for comments on them" said Tony Lloyd, interim GM Mayor, on its launch "This is an opportunity for people to examine up close what decisions we will make locally and how it will make life better for the people of Greater Manchester."
The consultation lists eight headings, supposedly `outlining' the new powers but there is so little information residents would be hard pressed to understand what is going on. Weeks ago, the Salford Star asked GMCA to put someone up for interview so we could ask about the details. But GMCA never responded.
So, instead, here the Salford Star gives the sketchy outline that GMCA has on its consultation website, together with some details and questions from the Campaign for Democratic Devolution that might help inform people's comments...
Health
GMCA states that it will "Work with NHS organisations and the ten GM local authorities to take health and social care decisions which reflect the health needs of Greater Manchester and which make the best use of Greater Manchester's £6 billion budget" and will "Produce a comprehensive plan for Greater Manchester's health and social care"...
What is doesn't say is that Greater Manchester has a projected `financial challenge' of £2billion forecast for 2020/21, and that it is going to `reform' health services by making massive cuts.
Salford, a pilot for this, is already well into the process, moving towards making people less dependent on social care and health services, to realise `savings' of over £35million and a 2% cut to its budget every year. The Tory Government has endorsed the Salford `Vanguard' pilot with £29million set up costs (see previous Salford Star article click here).
Planning, Housing and Regeneration
GMCA merely states that it will "create a Greater Manchester Spatial Framework that will identify the most appropriate places to create the homes and jobs that Greater Manchester needs." And that the GM Mayor will have power over this, with "consent" of council leaders.
Indeed, like the GMCA states, this Framework will hand Greater Manchester power over what goes where in Salford, how much green belt will be destroyed, and where thousands of flats and houses will be built. The Framework itself states that the character of many places across Greater Manchester could be `transformed' (see previous Salford Star article click here).
The consultation document also states that there will be a `Mayoral Development Corporation' which "will drive regeneration and big projects...GMCA should be given various powers to acquire land...in order to enable the building of the homes, businesses and infrastructure that Greater Manchester requires".
Nowhere does the GMCA mention affordable homes. Indeed, the £300million GM Housing Fund is only for private developers. Salford has already seen developers cash in on loans from the Fund, with no affordable housing within their schemes (see Salford Star article click here).
The body is proposing a Greater Manchester Community Infrastructure Levy in which developers will pay for `local improvements to infrastructure such as roads, schools, transport, parks and community facilities', similar to the Council's Section 106. But will there be as many get-outs and avoidance loopholes as under the present system?
Meanwhile, the Campaign for Democratic Devolution asks... "Will you prioritise and take urgent action to tackle GM councils' waiting list for housing of 80,000 with genuinely affordable homes for our families, young and our elderly? Or will you prioritise skyscrapers for international investors?"
Transport
GMCA is proposing a Buses Bill, `to give the GMCA more control over the routes, frequencies and cost of bus services', and will `join up with national and local highway authorities in improving the road network in Greater Manchester'. Transport for Greater Manchester already sorts most of the transport network.
Skills and Training
GMCA is proposing to take all of the adult education budget for education, skills and employment provision, and there's already talk of mergers amongst higher education colleges and universities, making education less local. The Consultation document doesn't mention its current review into children's services at all, which could see current local services `centralised' at Greater Manchester level.
Culture
The consultation document has exactly four lines of text on this which says nothing except that the GMCA will have powers to fund "not-for-profit organisations that are part of the region's culture and entertainment scene". `Non-profit organisations' include huge multi-million pound culture projects like Home and Factory.
Finance
Again, the GMCA has exactly four lines of text on its new finance powers... "Changing the way that economic development and regeneration work that is done by GMCA is funded to give greater transparency to Greater Manchester residents, replacing the current statutory recharge with a levy". No explanation is provided.
The second power is "Giving GMCA additional power to borrow money to invest in Greater Manchester, for example, for the purposes of housing and regeneration". No detail or explanation is given.
Information Sharing
"These powers would mainly allow other public authorities to share information with the GMCA in the same way they already do with individual councils" states the GMCA. There are no examples or explanation provided.
Governance
The GMCA talks about "New powers for the GM Mayor" which will "not" be taken from the ten GM local councils. However, for example, the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework will dictate what Salford Council can do, planning wise (see above).
Governance is one of the most contentious issues with GM Devolution, in which the GM Mayor, to be elected in 2017, will only be held to account by the ten leaders of the GM local authorities, including the Salford City Mayor...
"In the 17 official GM Strategic Priorities why is there still not a strategic priority dedicated to strengthening democratic engagement (beyond Politics) for the 21st Century?" asks the Campaign for Democratic Devolution... "Will you promise to safeguard our democratic rights and protections, and in future seek our informed consent before making and implementing new devolution deals?"
The Campaign went on the GM road prior to the local elections handing out leaflets slating "the whole dodgy and completely undemocractic Devo Manc devolution deal", arguing that it is about the "promotion of corporate and private business interests, at the expense of the wider public..."
To read the GMCA Consultation website pages click here to begin
To comment on the Consultation click here
* See also Northern Powerhouse conference charges £150 per ticket to hear publicly paid politicians - click here
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