The report of the Chief Executive is enclosed.

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 within the last week, Greater Manchester had formalised the latest devolution deal through the GM Combined Authority Trailblazer deeper devolution deal.  A further update on this would come to Executive in the new Municipal Year.

The Deputy Leader (Statutory) reported on Cultural Partnership Grants, with the Council having awarded almost £1 million of grants over the next three years to 12 key arts organisations delivering a wide range of cultural activities and opportunities for residents and wider audiences.  The funding, which would run from April 2023 to March 2026, would help make Manchester a thriving and liveable city with inclusive and accessible cultural and creative experiences.

The Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods reported on the launch of the Great British Spring Clean which was launched at Stanley Grove Primary School, Longsight, on Friday 17 March.  The campaign, which would run until 2 April 2023, called on schools, residents, volunteers and businesses to pitch in to help clean up litter and keep Manchester clean and green.

The Executive Member for Early Years, Children and Young People reported on Manchester’s annual Youth Buzz awards, which recognised the remarkable achievements of young people making a difference in their communities.  This year saw a record 160 nominations submitted across 12 different categories and for the first time the judging panel was made up entirely of young people, all members of the city’s Youth Council.

The Executive Member for Environment and Transport reported that funding had been secured for much-needed improvements along the Manchester Cycleway with more than £300,000 having been secured from the Government’s Safer Street Fund to make a range of improvements.  The first stage of work, site clearance and landscaping on the Yellow Brick Road, began last month.  Designs for wider improvements were being finalised and would be implemented in late spring/early summer this year.

The Deputy Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure reported that Gorton Library had become the latest in the city to benefit from the Council’s Open Plus scheme.  Its opening hours had been extended to members the Open Plus programme, which allowed library users to access the library and its facilities outside normal staffed hours.  Users of the library, could         upgrade their library cards for free to become Open Plus members.  The Library was now accessible to Open Plus members during the extended opening hours of Monday 8am - 10am and 5pm - 8pm, Tuesday 8am - 1pm, Wednesday 8am - 8pm, Thursday 8am - 10am, Friday 8am - 1pm and Saturday 9am - 10am.

The Executive Member for Housing and Development reported on Ancoats Green advising that a planning application for new public realm had been submitted to help create a new ‘green heart’ in the area.  The submission, which focused on three areas of public space – Ancoats Green, Prussia Street and Jersey Green represented the final phase of the neighbourhood’s regeneration story.  Under the plans Ancoats Green would act as the green focal point for the area, with walking and cycling routes through to Butler Street, and from Portugal Street to the Rochdale Canal.  There would be a 76% increase in trees, with wildflower and wetland habitats also planted.  Almost a third of new surfaces would be made from reclaimed material with permeable drainage systems.  The Ancoats Green work was due to be completed by 2024.

Decision

The Executive note the report.