As Manchester Film Festival 2021 kicks off, Alex King spoke to Manchester-based filmmakers Charlie Watts, Jason Wingard, Mike Ogden and Kieran Stringfellow about their films which are on show at the festival.
Greater Manchester, with over £1bn in stock, has largest pension fund fossil fuel investment in UK
Greater Manchester Pension Fund is the biggest investor by far in fossil fuels of any local government pension scheme in the country. Environmental groups are calling on GMPF to divest from fossil fuels, to help tackle the climate emergency.
Manchester council lose judicial review over Central Retail Park planning decision
A court has found Manchester city council made the wrong decision when it approved plans to turn the former Central Retail Park in Ancoats into a temporary car park.
The council says it will appeal the decision, as Trees Not Cars campaigners call for Sir Richard Leese to ‘retire’.
Burnham brands ‘fire and rehire’ practices ‘industrial blackmail’
Andy Burnham met Go North West bosses last week to discuss service disruption.
While careful to distinguish the industrial dispute between GNW and its drivers from other instances of ‘fire and rehire’ practices, the mayor says issuing Section 188 notices to renegotiate workers’ employment contracts is tantamount to ‘industrial blackmail’.
‘Fire and rehire’ plans by Go North West force bus drivers into strike action
Bus drivers in Manchester employed by Go North West voted 82% in favour of taking industrial action against the bus company for its ‘fire and rehire’ practices, on a 77% turnout.
Unite, represents the drivers, stressed there was still time for Go North West bosses to return to the negotiating table.
‘Shudehill Shard’ monies should pay for social housing level rented homes, says Sir Richard Leese
Responding to a call from Piccadilly councillors, Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese said it would be ‘entirely appropriate’ to use money made from the sale of land to build the infamous ‘Shudehill Shard’ for building social housing level rent homes in the ward.
Manchester bus drivers poised to ballot on strike action as Unite and Go North West talks collapse
Unite will ballot 485 bus drivers on strike action if Go North West does not return to the negotiating table. The decision to consider balloting was made in response to the bus company announcing it will no longer negotiate with the union and will instead consult drivers individually.
Legal advisor to Boris Johnson’s planning reforms represents Manchester City Council in judicial review over Central Retail Park
Architect of Boris Johnson’s government’s controversial overhaul of the English planning system, Christopher Katkowski QC is representing Manchester City Council in a judicial review of the local authority’s future use of the former Central Retail Park in Ancoats.
Burnham urged to act against government’s proposed planning system changes
Open letter calls on Andy Burnham, and the leaders of the conurbation’s ten boroughs, to “intervene” in the government’s plans to change the UK planning system, which the campaigners call an “emergency for communities and local authorities across England.”
‘It’s like Grand Designs comes to Oldham’ — inside Oldham’s first community led housing project
Locked out of the housing market, locals in Saddleworth set up a not-for-profit company to build beautiful bespoke affordable homes. The project shows the huge potential of community led projects to build better homes and strengthen local communities.