Today (December 17) the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy , has issued a statement and shared
letters exchanged with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, , and the Deputy Prime
Minister, , following the publication
of the English Devolution White Paper.
Mayor of Greater Manchester said:
“This is a proud moment for Greater Manchester. The adoption
across England of the model of devolution which we have pioneered
will change the way our country is run, tilting it away from
Whitehall and Westminster and empowering the English regions.
Through devolution, we have achieved a level of growth higher
than the UK average and we believe this extension will help the
Government achieve its growth mission.
“We are pleased the Government is giving Greater
Manchester control over rail. It is clear that the railways
aren't working, and we are ready to pioneer a new approach by
bringing eight commuter lines into the Bee Network. We will
complete Phase One in early January, with all our buses back
under public control, and are ready to start on Phase Two
straight away which will see bikes, buses, trams and trains
united in a London-style system by early 2028 at the latest.
“One area where we would we like to see the Government go further
is post-16 technical education. However, as the exchange of
letters with the Government shows, we have the green light to
prove the concept of the Greater Manchester Baccalaureate. We
believe the MBacc will be a game-changer for technical education
in our city-region, creating an equal alternative to the
university route, and demonstrating that will be our defining
mission in 2025."
The letters can be read on the Greater Manchester Combined
Authority website here:
Mayor sends letter to
Government following publication of English Devolution White
Paper
Letter from Chancellor and
Deputy Prime Minister to Mayor of Greater Manchester - Greater
Manchester Combined Authority
