Councillor Richard Farnell new GMCA planning and housing portfolio holder

Councillor Richard Farnell

Rochdale Borough Council Leader, Councillor Richard Farnell is the new Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) planning and housing portfolio holder.

Each GMCA portfolio holder will now be supported by a deputy portfolio holder as they undertake their Greater Manchester responsibilities. The deputies include two local councillors, Councillor Aasim Rashid and Councillor Donna Martin.

GMCA portfolio holders:

• Planning and housing: Richard Farnell – Leader of Rochdale Borough Council
• Health and social care: Peter Smith – Leader of Wigan Council
• Low carbon, waste and environment: Paul Dennett - Salford City Mayor
• Investment and finance: Kieran Quinn – Leader of Tameside Council
• Skills and employment: Sean Anstee – Leader of Trafford Council
• Children’s services: Cliff Morris – Leader of Bolton Council
• Economic strategy including internationalisation and marketing and business support: Richard Leese – Leader of Manchester City Council
• Reform: Tony Lloyd – GM Interim Mayor
• Police, crime, civil contingencies, fire: Rishi Shori – Leader of Bury Council
• Transport: Tony Lloyd – GM Interim Mayor
• Fairness, Equalities and Cohesion: Jean Stretton – Leader of Oldham Council
• Culture, Arts and Leisure: Alex Ganotis – Leader of Stockport Council
• Criminal Justice: Tony Lloyd – GM Interim Mayor

GMCA deputies:

• Rochdale: Aasim Rashid, Donna Martin
• Bolton: Linda Thomas, Ebrahim Adia
• Bury: Jane Lewis, Jane Black
• Manchester: Sue Murphy, Afia Kamal
• Oldham: Abdul Jabbar, Barbara Brownridge
• Salford: Paula Boshell, John Merry
• Stockport: Mark Hunter, Wendy Wild
• Tameside: Brenda Warrington, Lynn Travis
• Trafford: Dylan Butt, Linda Blackburn
• Wigan: Jenny Bullen, Jo Platt

The new GMCA deputies are councillors from GM authorities who have been nominated by their council leader, but will support leaders from other authorities. Appointments of deputies to specific portfolio roles will take place over coming weeks.

GMCA portfolio responsibilities are divided between the GM Mayor and the leaders of the 10 Greater Manchester local authorities. GMCA portfolios include housing, transport and skills and employment. Newly created portfolios include Fairness, Equalities and Cohesion and Culture, Arts and Leisure. GMCA Leaders work together with the chief executives of the 10 authorities and partner organisations, such as Transport for Greater Manchester, to carry out their GM roles.

Changes to the portfolios and portfolio holders follows the devolution of more powers though GM’s fourth devolution agreement and the arrival of a number of new leaders following May’s local elections.