This motion is put forward in the context of the so-called ‘Trailblazer’ Deeper Devolution Deal between the UK Government and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).

Now that we have such an extended deal, which explicitly addresses issues of governance and accountability alongside ‘new levers, functions and responsibilities’ (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) Policy Paper March), it is the right time to address the democracy implications of devolution for Manchester within the Greater Manchester structures.

Objectives

To replace the Greater Manchester Combined Authority with a new devolved Greater Manchester Authority, which will include a directly-elected assembly. The role and function of the new authority and assembly will be comparable to that of Greater London Authority (GLA) and London Assembly (LA), and will have similar power to scrutinise and challenge decisions made by the mayor. Funding for this more substantial authority and these expanded powers will be made available by central government. Election of the assembly will be by a mixed-member proportional system, similar to that used in London, the exact details of which will be established by a government commission.

Council notes that:

·                The population of Greater Manchester is substantial: half that of Norway, over half that of Ireland, and is almost as large as that of Wales.

·                Although directly elected, the metropolitan mayor is answerable to ten local authority leaders who are not directly elected but appointed as group leader by their own party processes. This creates a clear deficit of democracy. This is not only because of direct election through a First Past the Post (FPTP) system in the local authority but also because of possible post-electoral arrangements affecting the leadership of a given local authority. The ten party-elected leaders cannot be expected to fully represent the range of views of almost three million people. An Assembly such as GLA’s will allow for a fuller say for voters.

·                The Mayor of Greater Manchester has himself publicly called both for more devolution of powers from Westminster England-wide, and for electoral reform away from FPTP representation.

·                The Deeper Devolution Deal brings GMCA closer into alignment with the GLA in questions of powers, responsibilities and priorities – if not in terms of per capita funding – but makes no suggestion for concomitant structural change in relation to representation.

·                The GMCA is now in receipt of a single funding settlement.

·                GDP per capita across Greater Manchester is approximately half that of Greater London.

Council resolves:

(1)       To request that the council leader will write to the Permanent Secretary for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, calling for:

·                A government commission to establish the exact makeup of a new Greater Manchester Authority and Greater Manchester Assembly, under instruction to use the London Assembly and its mixed-member electoral system as a guiding model. This would include powers given to the Assembly similar to those of the London Assembly, to scrutinise and challenge the mayor’s decisions, and (with a supermajority vote) to amend the mayor’s budget or to reject strategic decisions.

·                Legislation for the findings of the commission to be put to a legally binding confirmatory referendum across Greater Manchester, which (if successful) would establish the new authority and assembly, replacing the GMCA and existing devolution settlements.

·                Due to the economic imbalance between the two city regions, the legislation would include requirement for central government to provide sufficient annual funding via an increased single funding settlement, so that the GMA has a comparable per-capita budget to the GLA while keeping council tax precepts at a similar rate to those for the GMCA.

(2)       To request that the council leader will write to leaders of the other nine Greater Manchester councils and to the Mayor of Greater Manchester, asking for them to publicly support this call.

Proposed by Councillor Johnson, seconded by Councillor Wiest and supported by Councillors Bayunu, Nunney and Leech

Councillor Johnson submitted the following motion, which was seconded by Councillor Wiest:-

This motion is put forward in the context of the so-called ‘Trailblazer’ Deeper Devolution Deal between the UK Government and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).

Now that we have such an extended deal, which explicitly addresses issues of governance and accountability alongside ‘new levers, functions and responsibilities’ (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) Policy Paper March), it is the right time to address the democracy implications of devolution for Manchester within the Greater Manchester structures.

Objectives

To replace the Greater Manchester Combined Authority with a new devolved Greater Manchester Authority, which will include a directly-elected assembly. The role and function of the new authority and assembly will be comparable to that of Greater London Authority (GLA) and London Assembly (LA), and will have similar power to scrutinise and challenge decisions made by the mayor. Funding for this more substantial authority and these expanded powers will be made available by central government. Election of the assembly will be by a mixed-member proportional system, similar to that used in London, the exact details of which will be established by a government commission.

Council notes that:

·         The population of Greater Manchester is substantial: half that of Norway, over half that of Ireland, and is almost as large as that of Wales.

·         Although directly elected, the metropolitan mayor is answerable to ten local authority leaders who are not directly elected but appointed as group leader by their own party processes. This creates a clear deficit of democracy. This is not only because of direct election through a First Past the Post (FPTP) system in the local authority but also because of possible post-electoral arrangements affecting the leadership of a given local authority. The ten party-elected leaders cannot be expected to fully represent the range of views of almost three million people. An Assembly such as GLA’s will allow for a fuller say for voters.

·         The Mayor of Greater Manchester has himself publicly called both for more devolution of powers from Westminster England-wide, and for electoral reform away from FPTP representation.

·         The Deeper Devolution Deal brings GMCA closer into alignment with the GLA in questions of powers, responsibilities and priorities – if not in terms of per capita funding – but makes no suggestion for concomitant structural change in relation to representation.

·         The GMCA is now in receipt of a single funding settlement.

·         GDP per capita across Greater Manchester is approximately half that of Greater London.

Council resolves:

(1)          To request that the council leader will write to the Permanent Secretary for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, calling for:

·         A government commission to establish the exact makeup of a new Greater Manchester Authority and Greater Manchester Assembly, under instruction to use the London Assembly and its mixed-member electoral system as a guiding model. This would include powers given to the Assembly similar to those of the London Assembly, to scrutinise and challenge the mayor’s decisions, and (with a supermajority vote) to amend the mayor’s budget or to reject strategic decisions.

·         Legislation for the findings of the commission to be put to a legally binding confirmatory referendum across Greater Manchester, which (if successful) would establish the new authority and assembly, replacing the GMCA and existing devolution settlements.

·         Due to the economic imbalance between the two city regions, the legislation would include requirement for central government to provide sufficient annual funding via an increased single funding settlement, so that the GMA has a comparable per-capita budget to the GLA while keeping council tax precepts at a similar rate to those for the GMCA.

(2)          To request that the council leader will write to leaders of the other nine Greater Manchester councils and to the Mayor of Greater Manchester, asking for them to publicly support this call.

Resolution

The motion was put to the Council and the Lord Mayor declared it lost.