Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd applies for post of Greater Manchester Interim Mayor

Greater Manchester’s Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd

Greater Manchester’s Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd has applied for the role of Interim Mayor for Greater Manchester.

In a statement Mr Lloyd said: “All eyes are now on Greater Manchester. Some are hoping we succeed and prove devolved government can deliver a more equal and prosperous Britain, but there will be some waiting for it to fail. That brings a great responsibility for us and all England’s City and County regions and it’s a challenge I am ready for.

“It is vital that we seek to address the North/South divide but we must also ensure we build a balanced economy across Greater Manchester. Our communities cannot wait for London and the South East to trickle down economic growth nor can we accept that one or two small parts of Greater Manchester succeeding is success for each of the 10 boroughs. I will work to ensure that the benefits of economic success can be felt right across Greater Manchester be that through decent jobs, housing development, training and education opportunities, better, cheaper and further reaching transport links, reduced crime or better health outcomes.

“We must ensure that we have a plan to grow the economy across all ten boroughs and cities in Greater Manchester so that every community sees that devolution will make a real difference to their lives. We can only truly succeed when every community has a stake in the future which is why devolution must not stop at the GM level. If successful I will work to ensure that devolution continues from that level to the districts. As Police and Crime Commissioner I have worked with councillors, MPs and MEPs from all parties to solve problems and improve services for our communities. As Interim Mayor I would commit to continue to have regular open dialogue with elected representatives as it is through local democratically elected members that I am able to understand the issues that matter to our communities.

“We have to ensure that the public do not see this as simply another layer of politicians but as a new voice for them in Greater Manchester and making the case for Greater Manchester at the national level. This change is not about pushing power upwards but about powers coming to us from central Government and from Greater Manchester to the ten local councils. That’s why transparency and making the Interim Mayor accountable to the public is fundamental. The decisions we make whether about the future of our young people, health or social care must have the whole hearted consent of the people we represent.

“People must be at the heart of our plan. Without a highly skilled population, agile and ambitious we are not fit for the challenges ahead. Our real task isn’t just to offer the UK an alternative to London and the South East but to champion Greater Manchester across the globe. We’ve set the agenda on sports, culture and the sciences but the world is moving forward quickly and it isn’t enough to rest on past successes, nor is it enough to follow others.

“Working with the ten local authorities we can create educated, healthy and working communities which thrive together. We’ll celebrate our rich diversity but have a shared stake in the future.”