The Meteor
Manchesters Independent Media
The Salford Star has shut down. This article is a warning to others who may follow, on the pitfalls of founding a genuine publication that aims to give the community a voice and hold public bodies up to account. They will try to discredit you, block information and shut you down.
Here the Salford Star editor, Stephen Kingston, looks at how democracy perished badly under the Salford mayoral system.
A new missive from the Electoral Reform Society warns that ‘Local one-party fiefdoms plague local government in England – with growing powers often wielded with shrinking oversight. It is a potential gift for lobbyists and shady contractors.’
‘I can think of only two local newspapers that consistently hold power to account: the West Highland Free Press and the Salford Star’ said journalist and author George Monbiot. The Salford Star is to close after the elections in May. Judith Suckling talks to Stephen Kingston, the journalism powerhouse behind the Star, on its rise and fall.
Crowdfunder launched to provide support for disabled young people’s cycle lessons at the new bike and skate park in Little Hulton, Salford.
Salford City Council triumphs again, at the Salford Star’s 13th annual Mary Burns Awards. Guest article from the Salford Star. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 13th annual Salford Star Mary Burns Awards, which are given out to honour the most deserving individuals and organisations in the city for their stupid statements, dodgy dealings and […]
Council planners have little thought for infrastructure or community, say the majority in a poll of Greater Manchester residents. Guest article from the Salford Star. A new Future Communities Report has found that two thirds of Greater Manchester residents feel that too much focus is being placed on the construction of new homes, as opposed […]
Salford and Eccles MP, Rebecca Long-Bailey, slated the Tory Government in Parliament on Monday, pointing out “What a terrible irony it is that the first day of Green Great Britain Week is the day that fracking is due to commence…” Today, Vivienne Westwood performed a break dance to Abba’s Dancing Queen on Cuadrilla’s ‘draconian injunction […]
Guest article from The Salford Star: As the Homelessness Reduction Act kicks in this month, Salford City Council is about to publish its new 44-page Homeless Strategy which reveals shocking and staggering levels of homelessness in the city. Included in the report is the fact that Salford has a higher level of rough sleeping than […]
A comprehensive report on the huge sums of money fuelling the housing development boom in the city centre has revealed the scale of non-payment of development funding to the council: only 8% of housing development in Manchester City Centre included in the study had any Section 106 agreement at all. The lack of money collected […]
Guest article from the irrepressible Salford Star: Luxury flats in Ordsall, already branded ‘Downtown Manchester’ by developer, Villafont, are being flogged to the rich in Knightsbridge as investment properties, promising a yield of 7%, with an average price of around £270,000. When planning permission was granted by Salford City Council two years ago, the developers […]
