Welcome to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) & the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) fourth quarterly newsletter. Your overview of the key work going on across Greater Manchester.


If you are new to the GMCA and AGMA or would simply like to know more about us and how it works visit our web site:

http://www.agma.gov.uk/

GREATER MANCHESTER COMBINED AUTHORITY

 Green Investment Bank

 The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) are supporting the development of a submission to Government to locate the Green Investment Bank in Manchester. Greater Manchester will face strong opposition from other parts of the country including Bristol, London and Edinburgh to host what is being touted as the world's first public bank dedicated to the green economy and which aims to set up with £3bn of public money to fund renewable energy schemes, which it believes could yield a further £15bn of private money.

 The submission is being prepared in collaboration with GMCA, Local Enterprise Partnership, Strategic Board for Business Support, Trade and Inward Investment; and AGMA Chief Executives.

 Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM)

  In July, the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee (TfGMC) outlined its policy priorities for 2011 – 12. 

Working within the context set by the Third Greater Manchester Local Transport Plan, the priorities are to:

• Work toward securing a more efficient, integrated and sustainable bus network
• Help people make transport choices by looking to provide transport information in new, accessible and user-friendly ways.
• Work with partners to stress the need for major rail schemes that are vital to the regional and national.
• Improve services for rail users.
• Deliver our new Metrolink lines efficiently as part of the expansion that will see the network triple in size.
• Encourage active travel by promoting and enabling walking and cycling, and making public transport choice better connected for active travel choices
• Fulfil the new remit of TfGM/C by working with other authorities on co-                ordination of Greater Manchester’s strategic highway network

Reports on the activity of TfGM/C can be found at:  

http://www.gmita.gov.uk/site/index.php and www.tfgm.com

 

Return of the Toast

 Greater Manchester’s Get Me Toasty campaign is back, offering free or discounted insulation to all homeowners, reducing energy bills and cutting carbon emissions.  Mr Toast and the Get Me Toasty team will be traveling around Greater Manchester promoting the campaign and encouraging people to sign up and save money.

For more information visit www.getmetoasty.com

Repositioning

During June the Government responded to the NHS Future Forum report resulting in a series of amendments to the Health & Social Care Bill.  Subsequently the Health Commission has overseen the drafting of Terms of Reference for more information visit:

 http://www.marmotreview.org/AssetLibrary/pdfs/Reports/FairSocietyHealthyLives.pdf

  The Commission will also engage more fully with social care in order to drive forward integration, and to act as a focal point for early political engagement with the NHS on reform.

 For further information on the repositioning the GM Health Commission visit:

 http://www.agma.gov.uk/cms_media/files/6_repositioning_the_gm_health_commission.pdf

 Fit For Work Service phase 2

 Following a competitive process, Greater Manchester was announced recently by DWP as one of only five areas nationwide to be awarded funding for a phase two Fit For Work Service. The contract value is £414,020 over a two year period with the GMCA now being the accountable body.

 For further information click here:

http://neweconomymanchester.com/stories/1210-health_commission_backs_fit_for_work_scheme

 Street Lighting Connections  Services Framework 

A Sub-regional Collaborative Framework Agreement for Street Lighting Connections Services has been established. Topics this framework will look at include - New Connection Service, Transfer Service, Disconnection Service, Column Erection Service, Sign Pole Erection Service, Feeder Pillar Erection Service, Column Uproot Service, Sign Pole Uproot Service, Feeder Pillar Erection Service and Lantern Installation Service.

 The framework aims to deliver anticipated savings of c£2.4m (£600k pa) over a 4-year period.

Affordable Homes Programme 2011-2015

 On July 14th, the HCA announced successful bidders to the new Affordable Homes Programme (AHP).  Specific allocation figures for each Registered Provider (RP) will be agreed and confirmed as part of the contract signing process, which is taking place over the coming months. 

 A total of £188,252,633 will be allocated to RPs in the North West, but Greater Manchester’s share of that NW total will not be clear until negotiations with HCA are complete. 

  Green Infrastructure Project

 The Planning, Housing and Environment Commissions have initiated a joint project with the Environment Agency to deliver climate resilience and enhancements through investments in "Green Infrastructure".   The result will be a healthy water environment achieved by taking due account of environmental, economic and social considerations.

 Flood Risk Management

 The first stage of the Greater Manchester Surface Water Management Plan is now nearing completion. The project will now move into stage two which involves the detailed assessment of those sites identified from stage one.

 Current work involves developing flood risk asset registers and a policy for flood incident investigation. The next set of commencements affecting Lead Local Flood Authorities will take place in April 2012 though some technical commencements are likely in the interim.

For further information click here:

http://www.agma.gov.uk/commissions1/planning_housing_commission/planning-housing-update/p-h-update-september-2011/index.html

Domestic Abuse Standards and Victim’s Charter

 The Commission has developed a set of Greater Manchester standards and a victim’s charter for domestic abuse. This is set to ensure a consistent service for victims wherever they choose to report an incident or seek support.

 The standards and charter have been developed for a multi-agency approach, covering a range of partners including local authorities, the police, housing providers and victim and witness services. 


For further information click here:

http://www.agma.gov.uk/cms_media/files/8_appendix_c_domestic_abuse_victims_charter_pdf.pdf