Big plans from mayor hopeful

IVAN Lewis MP visits Oldham College to discuss the post of Mayor of Manchester, among other subjects. Back left to right, students Chelsea Ramsden, Gemma Rothwell, Joe Witney, Tariq Amin (president Asian Business Association), Kirsty Regan, Malia Begum (students). Front left to right, Ivan Lewis, Alun Francis (principal Oldham College), Laura Smart (KPMG), Jo Taylor (vice-president Oldham Chamber of Commerce)

MAYOR of Greater Manchester candidate hopeful Ivan Lewis visited Oldham to discuss why the borough struggles to attract business.

Bury South MP Mr Lewis, who hopes to be Labour's Mayor of Greater Manchester candidate, visited Oldham College to consider the special challenges facing the North Eastern part of the conurbation consisting of Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside.

It is recognised that this part of Greater Manchester struggles to attract business investment due to "low skills, poor housing, health and transport links and decades of underfunding from central government".

Mr Lewis unveiled a radical package of measures which he says will demonstrate his commitment to ensuring devolution benefits all parts of Greater Manchester and transfers power from the mayor and combined authorities to local communities.

The measures include a contract between the mayor and each of the ten districts committing the mayor to deliver on priorities identified by each district to improve skills, job opportunities and transport links in their most disadvantaged communities.

He would see Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside become a designated economic action zone with a distinct investment and regeneration plan.

Consideration would be given to relocating Greater Manchester public sector jobs from central Manchester to the economic action zone area. Mr Lewis is thought to be considering options such as Devo Manc Health HQ and the Manchester Growth company.

Finally, Mr Lewis would have a commitment to develop orbital transport routes around Greater Manchester starting with a feasibility study into the proposal of an Ashton loop from Ashton town centre to Oldham Mumps and a Middleton spur connecting Oldham Westwood through Middleton onto the Bury line around Bowker Vale.

Mr Lewis said: "I have listened to the views of local people in every district of Greater Manchester on issues such as jobs, skills, transport, housing and health.

"I have concluded that it is vital the new mayor not only takes more power from central government but also passes some of this power and funding down to districts targeted on those people and communities that have been left behind for far too long.

"That is why if elected mayor I will replace the rhetoric about the challenges facing the North Eastern part of Greater Manchester with an economic action zone to deliver rapid progress on regeneration and investment.

"I will also sign a contract with each of the ten districts in Greater Manchester to deliver on priorities to benefit their most disadvantaged communities.

"I would expect to be judged on whether I succeed in honouring the commitments made in these contracts."