Report of the Chief Executive attached

The Executive considered a report of the Chief Executive which provided an update on key areas of progress against the Our Manchester Strategy – Forward to 2025 which reset Manchester’s priorities for the next five years to ensure the Council could still achieve the city’s ambition set out in the Our Manchester Strategy 2016 – 2025.

The Leader reported that the Council had entered into legal agreements with development partner Allied London for the Grade II-listed Upper Campfield Market and Lower Campfield Market buildings on Liverpool Road.  Campfield was one of two schemes which together formed the Culture In The City project which the Council secured almost £20m of Government Levelling Up funding in autumn 2021.  The Campfield market buildings would provide 83,000 sq. ft. of modern workspace and over a 15-year period, it was anticipated that 1,600 jobs would be created and a further 2,400 jobs sustained.

The Leader also reported that Manchester Libraries would be providing support for residents who need it to help navigate through new voter ID rules which will come into force ahead of the 4 May local elections.  All 22 libraries in the city would offer free internet and wifi which residents could use if they needed to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. Staff would be able to advise which forms of photo identification could be used at polling stations to avoid people applying for a Certificate unnecessarily.  A Greater Manchester-wide communications campaign to make people aware of the changes and the need to ensure they had voter ID to participate in elections would amplify and supplement a national campaign being led by the Electoral Commission. In response to a query by Cllr Leech about members of the public without intranet access, reference was made to a detailed report on the Councils preparations for the elections, considered at the January meeting of Resources and Governance Scrutiny,  a copy of which would be recirculated to all members.

The Executive Member for Children, Families and Young People reported that a Trust had been appointed to run what will be the first new primary school to open in the city centre in almost 20 years.  The Laurus Trust would run the 210-place Crown Street Primary School.  Building work was now well underway on its location at the end of Deansgate, with the first pupils expected through its doors in September 2024.  The school would form an important part of the wider regenerations taking place in the Great Jackson Street are at the southern end of the city centre.

The Executive Member for Environment and Transport reported that strong progress had been made in reducing carbon emissions from the council’s estate of more than 300 buildings.  Emissions from the Council’s operational estate had reduced by 7,161 tonnes CO2 per annum – a 29.7% cut – since 2019/20.  It was referenced that a detailed report on the Decarbonisation of the Council’s estate had been considered at the January meeting of Resources and Governance Scrutiny and the Executive Member for Environment and Transport encouraged members to read this report to get a fuller understanding of the work being done

Decision

The Executive note the report.