`HOW THE FUCK DID YOU MANAGE TO IGNORE ALMOST THREE MILLION PEOPLE?' AWARD*
Goes to...
GREATER MANCHESTER COMBINED AUTHORITY
2017 will see Greater Manchester devolution set in even more stone, with the election for a Greater Manchester Mayor that no-one asked for or wanted. Devolution was supposed to bring decisions and policy closer to the community but, so far, it's been about swapping one set of national cliques and elites for another local set of cliques and elites.
Indeed, the devolution dealings were originally thrashed out behind closed doors, signed by George Osborne and the ten leaders of the GM local councils, including the Salford City Mayor, and presented as a fait accompli, complete with more cuts and that autocratic GM Mayor.
The whole process has been subject to demonstrations, roadshows and petitions, not particularly against devolution in itself, but against the total lack of democracy and accountability within that process.
In February 2016, even the House of Commons Communities and Local Government Committee slated the way devolution has been imposed... "There has been a consistent very significant lack of public consultation, engagement and communication at all stages of the deal-making process" it stated "...There was no opportunity for engagement with residents, or for residents to have their say on the principle of devolution or the framework of the specific deal proposed in their area... local leaders could have communicated more effectively and extensively with their residents about the deal process, the contents of the deal and how it would affect them.
"The Committee finds that there has been a failure to set out clear, measurable objectives for devolution, rushed timetables for negotiation, and a lack of openness about deal negotiations" it concluded (see here).
Lo and behold, in May, two years after devolution was first proposed, the new so-called `super council', Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), decided to hold a consultation on what the Campaign for Democratic Devolution called "the whole dodgy and completely undemocratic Devo Manc devolution deal...". It was also slammed as a "figleaf" and a "farce" by the Greater Manchester Green Parties Forum (see here). The consultation drew a mere 169 responses.
Now the democratic deficit, with local councils complicit all the way, is beginning to get even worse as groups try and work out the well hidden cuts to Greater Manchester's health service, social services and more, and try to fight plans to destroy the green belt in Salford and beyond thanks to the GM Spatial Framework.
Will the election of the GM Mayor help find democracy in the process? Not if the first GM Mayoral Debate has anything to do with it! It's to be staged on 10th February by Place North West and topics include Housing, Green Belt release, Transport, Health and social care, and the `candidates' priorities'...
...Except that only three candidates have been invited to speak Andy Burnham for Labour, Conservative candidate Sean Anstee and Liberal Democrat Jane Brophy... While the LibDems hardly even exist in Salford anymore, the Green Party, which is growing in Salford, has been excluded completely.
Oh, and anybody wanting to attend will have to fork out £120 for a ticket (£100+VAT),* although, to be fair, there is a champagne drinks reception to kick off proceedings...
"Here we see the political elite of Greater Manchester taking the piss out of working class people, yet again" says Real Salford Lad, who brought the Mayoral debate to the attention of the Salford Star "It looks like American politics where the Greens do not even get invited to the debates. How many working class people have £100 plus VAT spare - how is this about ordinary people?"
So, ladies and gentlemen, file into the Northern Poorhouse, give up your rights and wave goodbye to your hospitals and green belt for the winners of the Salford Star Mary Burns `How The Fuck Did You Manage To Ignore Almost Three Million People?' Award...
Greater Manchester Combined Authority!
If someone from the GMCA would like to make an acceptance speech or if our own Salford Mayor would like to crawl out of the GMCA's nether regions to make some excuses - please use the comments box below...
* This award is dedicated to the memory of the Green Party's Greater Manchester Mayor candidate, Deyika Nzeribe, who tragically died this week.
*Update 7th January: Since this Award was handed out, the Places North West Mayoral Debate has been changed to a free event - although there's no champagne reception now! But there's still only three candidates allowed to take part...
Winners of the 2016 Salford Star Mary Burns Awards
*Nice Work If You Can Get It Award Hazel Blears click here
* Green Fingers Award - Salford City Council - click here
*Ethical Hypocrisy Award Co-operative Group click here
*George Bush Read My Lips Award Hazel Blears, Phil Mayall and Councillor Derek Antrobus - click here
*Services To Heritage Destruction Fred Done click here
* Pimp My Poverty Award - Salford City Council - click here
*Feed The Rich Award Peel Holdings click here
*International Award Manchester City Council click here
*Services To Social Housing - Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett click here
*Affordable Housing Hypocrisy Revolving Door Award Councillor Paul Longshaw click here
* Uncle Joe Stalin Award for Open and Democratic Government Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett click here
* Gary Neville Finger In Pies Award - Salford City Council - click here
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