Council leader's equalities brief

Jean Stretton

OLDHAM Council leader Jean Stretton will lead on the fairness, equalities and cohesion portfolio with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

Twenty new deputies have also taken up their posts on GMCA at the same time as a number of GM leaders have taken on new roles within the authority.

Each GMCA leader will now be supported by deputy portfolio leads as they undertake their Greater Manchester responsibilities.

Women make up the majority of the new team of deputies and a significant proportion are from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Oldham councillors Abdul Jabbar and Barbara Brownridge will take up deputy roles.

Greater Manchester Mayor Tony Lloyd said the new deputies would "better represent" the regionion's communities.

He said: "As more decisions over vital issues like transport, housing, jobs and more are made in Greater Manchester, the time is right to expand Greater Manchester's leadership team.

"Our new GMCA deputies are overwhelmingly women and as a group will better represent Greater Manchester's diverse communities."

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 leads follow the devolution of more powers though GM's fourth devolution agreement and the arrival of new leaders following May's local elections.