ACORN tenants union in Manchester are fighting against the threatened ejection of homeless people housed in hotels and the growing threat of eviction for private renters burdened with growing rent arrears due to lockdown. They have put together six key demands to create a healthier housing system nationally and are petitioning Greater Manchester councils to […]
Campaigners call on Greater Manchester councils to rethink their £250m financial aid package for Manchester Airport
Greater Manchester councils agreed to provide a finance package of more than £250m to Manchester Airport Group to alleviate the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the airport. Open letter signed by eleven organisations asks the Greater Manchester Combined Authority council to reconsider their decision. An open letter addressed to the ten borough councils of […]
Controversial plans for Hulme student flats given green light under delegated powers
Despite calls to reinstate the council planning committee, plans for student accommodation in Hulme were approved by the chief executive. Councillors and campaigners say the council’s emergency arrangements for the coronavirus crisis are undemocratic, with locals feeling excluded and threatening legal action. Last week, Manchester City Council’s chief executive approved controversial plans for a nine-storey […]
Cross-party calls for Manchester planning committee to be reinstated
In response to the coronavirus crisis and lockdown, Manchester City Council suspended the planning committee and delegated planning powers to the Chief Executive. Thanks to new legislation, planning committees can now legally make decisions virtually. With other councils moving to online decision-making – and controversial schemes being decided this week – councillors, the Opposition, and […]
Prize offered for best essay to ‘combat climate silence’ of council leaders
Concerned about the climate crisis? This competition offers the chance to get those concerns down in writing and possibly spur on the efforts of those in power. Essay competition open to all ages, with cash prizes on offer. If you are concerned about the climate crisis and think that not enough is being done about […]
Council pledges extra millions to tackle climate emergency and condemns national government inaction
Manchester City Council promises £17m extra funding to tackle the climate emergency and broaden their scope to include aviation and indirect emissions. Councillor calls on national government to set up Climate Emergency Budget. Climate Emergency Manchester campaigners argue council plans still lack a clear “pathway” and “actions” on how to achieve their stated goals. Yesterday’s […]
Official figures show a drop in Manchester rough sleeping for first time in years – but are they accurate?
Rough sleeping in Manchester has dropped for the first time in years according to official figures released today, but research carried out by the BBC suggests the official figures underestimate the true scale of the problem five-fold. The rough sleeping count in Manchester has dropped for the first time in six years. In 2018 a […]
2020 Housing Vision: an opportunity to act against the housing crisis
There is widespread concern that our new Conservative government will do little to alleviate the housing crisis, that has become more severe over the last ten years while the Tories have been in power. This event hosted by organisations fighting for housing rights, aims to guide the hand of national and local governments to do […]
Legal challenge launched against council car park plans for Central Retail Park
Environmental campaign group Trees Not Cars are taking the council to court in an attempt to overturn their decision to turn the former Central Retail park into a car park. Manchester City Council announced their short- and long-term vision for the old Central Retail Park on Great Ancoats Street, on 10 February. The site has […]
One in 23 deaths in Greater Manchester is now linked to air pollution
One in 23 deaths in Greater Manchester is linked to long-term exposure to air pollution, new research shows. Research from Centre for Cities has revealed that one in 23 (4.3%) deaths in Greater Manchester is linked to long-term exposure to air pollution. The only area in the North West with a higher proportion of air […]