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 Executive Member for Skills, Culture and Leisure reported that the Council had formally submitted a bid to make Manchester the European Capital of Cycling for 2024.  It was hoped that being named the European Capital of Cycling for 2024 would not only recognise the work which had been done to promote cycling in the city but also help leverage further funding and other improvements and encourage even more Mancunians to cycle.  He also reported that the National Cycling Centre’s Velodrome re-opened on Saturday 3 September following £27m investment in improvements from the Council, Sport England and Government.  As well as improving its facilities, it was now the UK’s first all-electric Velodrome.

Councillor Johnson sought clarity as to whether there were any plans to improve the standard of a number of existing cycle routes that were in need of maintenance.

The Executive Member for Skills, Culture and Leisure next reported on the recent Ofsted inspection of Manchester’s Adult Education Service (MAES).  Government inspectors had MAES for its inclusive and ambitious curriculum, high quality education and training and passionate leaders.              Ofsted inspectors had graded every aspect of the service Good - from its overall effectiveness, quality of education, and adult learning programmes, through to provision for learners with high needs, and its leadership and management.

The Executive Member for Skills, Culture and Leisure final update was to report on the reopening of Abraham Moss Library and Leisure Centre following a multi-million pound refurbishment.  The refurbishment was part of the Council’s ongoing sport and leisure investment strategy. Leisure facilities and libraries across the city were being modernised so they could be better equipped to suit the needs of residents. 

The Deputy Executive Member for Skills, Culture and Leisure reported that Manchester had been named as the most digitally inclusive city in the UK in a national survey.  Analysis of the number of databanks, digital inclusion hubs and digital skills workshops on offer nationally put the city out ahead in the survey carried out by Uswitch mobiles.  The findings reflected work which had taken place to combat issues such as digital exclusion, generational poverty and health inequality.

The Deputy Leader reported on the progress which had being made on key themes in the Making Manchester Fairer Action Plan, including cutting unemployment and creating good jobs.  In particular the  Individualised Placement Support in Primary Care and Ambition Manchester In-Work Progression initiatives were cited which supported those with physical and/or mental disabilities into employment and helped people with low-incomes to progress within their current workplaces or acquire the skills to move into higher-paid roles elsewhere.

The Executive Member for Growth and Development reported on the recently approved planning application to re-develop the former Chorlton Leisure Centre site as an affordable later living housing scheme.  The new development would provide 50 apartments (a mix of one bed and two bed) for the over 55s.  Seven of the apartments would be for sale by shared ownership, three would be neighbourhood apartments providing step up accommodation, with the remaining 40 capped at the Manchester Living Rent.  Lettings would be prioritized to over 55s with a housing priority need, including those wishing to right-size and free up a social rented family home in the local area for families on the housing waiting list. 

The Executive Member for Growth and Development also reported that the first residents had moved into the Silk Street development of low carbon homes for social  rent in Newton Heath. As the first 11 homes were handed over to the council following their completion at the end of July, they had ben allocated to local people on the Council’s social housing register Manchester Move.  Altogether the site would deliver a mixture of 69 homes with 16 of these homes available to people over the age of 55 who were right-sizing from other properties in Newton Heath and North Manchester, freeing up larger properties for social rent

Councillor Leech sought clarification as to whether threw od be any financial assistance to those residents who were seeking to down size as part of the Chorlton Leisure Centre redevelopment.

Decision

The Executive note the report