The Manchester Community Strategy 2002-2012
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The Manchester Community Strategy
2002-2012FOREWORD and themselves, and to work more
closely together.
Manchester has made many advances
over the last decade. Areas of the City Our Community Strategy must be the
which have suffered from acute vehicle for securing commitment and
economic and social deprivation have galvanising activity around a shared
been transformed over this period whilst vision and a common set of objectives.
other areas have substantially improved Its vision and objectives will only
future prospects. The city centre has genuinely be shared if they are also
been radically improved, and the range shaped by the views of organisations and
of attractions and facilities it offers to individuals with a commitment to and a
residents and visitors has been concern for Manchester and its future.
strengthened and expanded. The document which follows provides the
Increasingly, people want to live in the basis for taking forward that commitment
City, not simply work in or visit it. and delivering these objectives. It
Manchester Airport, our Universities and includes contributions from key public
our other major economic and cultural partners in the City, and has been
assets continue to develop. The revised following an extensive public
Commonwealth Games this year - the consultation process.
largest multi-sport event ever held in the
UK - will give a further stimulus to The Community Strategy will provide the
investment, development and to the framework for regeneration and service
prominence that Manchester enjoys as improvement over the next ten years
the regional capital of the North West. and sets out the priorities for partnership
action over the next three years, having
But much remains to be done. formally been confirmed by the
Alongside our successes there are Manchester Local Strategic Partnership
neighbourhoods which have acute and approved by Manchester City
levels of poverty and deprivation, low Council.
skills, poor educational attainment, high
levels of ill-health and crime, and a poor
physical environment. The challenge for
Manchester, for the next decade and
beyond, is to improve the quality of life Councillor Richard Leese
of all Manchester residents, increase Leader of the Council
their social and economic prospects for
the future, and enable them to April 2002
participate fully in the life of the City.
This is a multi-faceted objective, and it
will only be achieved through the
concerted efforts of the widest range of
public, private, voluntary and community
organisations with a concern for our City
and with a commitment to change both itCONTENTS
Page
1. The Purpose of the Manchester Community Strategy 4
2. Competing in a Global Economy 12
3. Investing in Children, Families and Young People 19
4. Housing and Sustainable Communities 24
5. Making Manchester Safer 29
6. Tackling Health Inequalities 32
7. Creating a Modern Transport Infrastructure 36
8. Enhancing the Cultural Base of Manchester 41
9. Delivering the Manchester Community Strategy 441. PURPOSE OF THE MANCHESTER COMMUNITY STRATEGY
1.1 City and contributing to the
The public consultation process on achievement of sustainable
the development of the Manchester development is contained in the
Local Strategic Partnership (MLSP) Local Government Act (2000). As
and Manchester Community a result, the requirement for the
Strategy (MCS) was launched on Council to produce an annual
19 June 2001 at the Bridgewater economic development plan no
Hall. This process has engaged longer exists. The Act also enables
residents, community groups and the Council to undertake activities
other organisations and that are likely to achieve the
stakeholders in the City. The final promotion or improvement of the
draft of the MCS was launched at well-being of the area through the
the inaugural meeting of the use of the ‘well-being’ power. In
Manchester Conference - the deciding whether to take any such
overarching partnership of the action, the Council must have
MLSP - on 15 January 2002, where regard to the MCS.
delegates from a diverse range of
organisations came together to 1.5
confirm the direction, themes and However, it is not the intention of
priorities of the MCS, and the the MCS to set out every specific
structure of the MLSP. action that will be required to
deliver the improvements that are
1.2 needed, but rather the broad
The MLSP and MCS are the key strategy for the City, and the key
mechanisms for delivering issues we need to address in the
improved public services in the coming years. It is the task of the
City. The MLSP is a new broad- Manchester Neighbourhood
based partnership of local, regional Renewal Strategy (MNRS) to
and national organisations translate the direction and priorities
representing the public, private and of the MCS into action at the
voluntary and community sectors. neighbourhood level, along with the
Its main role is to develop a action plans of the MLSP’s
comprehensive strategy - the MCS thematic partnerships.
- to promote and improve the
economic, social and 1.6
environmental well-being of The Council will continue to use all
Manchester and its communities. of its powers, wherever it can, to do
anything it considers will promote
1.3 or improve the well-being of the
The MCS will be delivered through area. This will include the
the MLSP’s structures and thematic continuation of initiatives and
and area-based partnerships and activities begun under earlier
the individual actions of all economic development plans, as
partners. well as action under the MCS and
other existing or prospective plans,
1.4 strategies or agreements referred
The requirement to prepare a to in the MCS or otherwise
strategy for promoting and currently planned or adopted by the
improving the well-being of the Council.
4The Vision role and contribution of the MLSP
and MCS is to add value to these
1.7 existing partnerships by:
The North West of England is the
UK's largest economic region • co-ordinating improvements in
outside London. Its gross domestic public services so that they do
product is larger than that of four of more to improve the quality of
the Member States of the life of Manchester people;
European Union. Manchester
stands at its heart - the focus for • integrating the improvement of
commercial, financial, educational public services within a
and cultural activity in the region. comprehensive programme for
the regeneration of the City;
1.8
As a centre for business, learning, • providing an agreed framework
shopping and recreation, for the future direction of public
Manchester is increasingly investment in Manchester;
successful, yet it continues to
experience some of the highest • encouraging and enabling
levels of deprivation in the country, partners to use their powers to
with wide gaps between the City the full in support of the
and national averages on jobs, priorities of the MCS for the
education, health, housing and well-being of Manchester and
crime. Twenty-seven out of thirty- its people: and
three of the City’s electoral wards
are in the most deprived 10% in the • addressing issues which extend
country, an indication of the wide beyond the boundaries of
range of challenges that we face. Manchester, as appropriate, to
reflect the City’s significance to
1.9 the national economy and its
We must make even greater efforts role as the regional capital of
to address these issues. As the the North West.
regional capital and the heart of the
North West, Manchester’s future is 1.11
as a major international city with a Most of all, the MCS will be a
globally competitive economy, and framework for action which the
as a truly great place to live, work MLSP can use to support the
and invest. We will do all that we development of effective working
can to ensure that all the residents relationships between
of the City are able to participate organisations and communities, to
fully in the economic, social and improve the lives of Manchester
cultural life of Manchester. people and to promote their well-
being.
1.10
A network of well developed The Context
partnerships of public, private and
voluntary agencies are working 1.12
with local communities on these The City has responded to the
issues, and to close the gaps within challenges it faces by building on
Manchester and between the City its strengths and diversifying its
and the rest of the country. The economy. Strong foundations have
5been laid for the regeneration of 1.15
the City, however, the challenge Each of the thematic chapters in
remains to ensure that these this document considers the
strengths translate into jobs for current position in relation to each
Manchester people and a better theme, the key issues and priorities
quality of life, so that more people for action, and linkages between
choose to live in the City. themes. They are interdependent
and the purpose of the MCS is to
1.13 ensure that this is reflected in both
The key issues are being tackled - strategy and delivery.
educational attainment is
improving; most types of crime are 1.16
falling; housing, community The establishment of the MLSP -
facilities and transport networks are and the commitment of its partners
being renewed in many parts of the - provides the City with a strong
City - but the rate of improvement partnership vehicle to deliver the
needs to be greater. The quality of priorities for action within the MCS.
life on offer in Manchester needs to Each theme within the MCS is
improve more rapidly than being developed by a thematic
elsewhere so that, in the future, the partnership. These partnerships
City is a better place to live, work, operate within the MLSP structure
do business and visit than other and are responsible for progressing
cities. key elements of the MCS and
developing robust action plans for
Focus for Action its delivery.
1.14 1.17
The future of Manchester as a Certain issues of fundamental
major international city and as a importance to the future of the City
great place to live, will require cut across all of these themes.
improved co-ordination of action on These cross-cutting issues which
the themes covered by this affect every aspect of life in local
Strategy, namely: communities - such as poverty,
inequality, the environment and the
• Competing in a Global impact of new technology - need to
Economy; inform every area of activity.
Therefore, it is the responsibility of
• Investing in Children, Young the MLSP’s thematic partnerships
People and Families; to ensure that each cross-cutting
issue is a central consideration of
• Housing and Sustainable all measures and interventions
Communities; brought forward to deliver the
priorities of the MCS. Each issue is
• Making Manchester Safer; considered below.
• Tackling Health Inequalities;
• Creating a Modern Transport
Infrastructure; and
• Enhancing the Cultural Base.
6Creating Sustainable and disability and combinations of
Communities these. As a result, people are
excluded from a decent quality of
1.18 life.
At the heart of Manchester are the
strong local communities that make 1.21
up the City. At the core of Each of the MCS’s thematic action
sustaining these communities, and plans will work to close the gap in
enabling them to realise their terms of deprivation by addressing
economic and social potential, are the barriers preventing individuals
the Strategy’s themes, but and communities from achieving
particularly those relating to their full potential.
extending housing quality and
choice, improving education and 1.22
health, and reducing crime and There are tremendous
disorder. The City has a track opportunities in Manchester for
record of delivering comprehensive greater social inclusion. Our
area-based regeneration and has cosmopolitan outlook and rich
demonstrated that urban areas can mixture of cultures, origins,
be transformed without losing our languages, customs and lifestyles
strong Manchester communities. is one of Manchester’s key
strengths. The diversity which
1.19 makes Manchester such an exiting
Through the MLSP, regeneration and vibrant City comes from a
priorities will continue to be defined history of welcoming migrants from
by the priorities contained within all over the world and of
the MCS. The MNRS will help to campaigning for equality.
direct area-based regeneration Embracing and celebrating
priorities - which currently include diversity continues to enrich the
North Manchester, East City. The Commonwealth Games,
Manchester, Hulme and Moss for example, will show Manchester
Side, the Stockport Road corridor as a welcoming city, and the
and Wythenshawe - and bring inclusion of disabled athletes in the
forward action plans in areas main programme for the first time in
experiencing structural decline and a major international multi-sport
market failure. The MNRS will also event, marks an important step
enable us to manage the major forward in recognising disabled
structural changes needed to people’s rights.
deliver local benefit and support
local communities. 1.23
Agenda 2010 provides an example
Inclusion of how the cross-cutting theme of
inclusion can be applied across the
1.20 MCS. The Agenda 2010
For many Manchester residents the partnership provides a forum for
degree and extent of deprivation enabling Manchester’s black and
generates inequalities in wealth ethnic minority communities to
and life chances. The impact of establish their priorities for the City,
deprivation can be compounded by and for building the necessary
discrimination on the basis of age, leadership to achieve those
gender, ethnicity, religion, sexuality priorities. Agenda 2010 is integral
7to the MCS as it aims to ensure 1.25
that Manchester is a city that does Apart from issues of structure and
not tolerate racism. Agenda 2010 representation there are
will therefore have a particular opportunities to ensure that action
impact on the themes of the MCS within the MLSP is focused on
relating to these issues as it social inclusion. For example, the
progresses its action plans to: way in which the MCS is
performance managed can focus
raise the level of educational action on social inclusion. The
attainment of Manchester’s MPSA includes targets on
black and ethnic minority mainstream provision for children
communities to at least equal with special educational needs and
the average of the City; tackling unemployment amongst
black and ethnic minority
secure representation for black communities. Being able to
and ethnic minority communities measure inequalities of outcome
in employment at all levels that for different communities, in the
is equivalent to their way that Agenda 2010 seeks to do,
representation in the local will enable the investment of
population; additional resources such as the
Neighbourhood Renewal Fund to
reduce the level of racially be linked to the achievement of
motivated crime in Manchester; outcome targets.
and
Young and Older People
improve the equity and
accessibility of health and social 1.26
care services for black and At the heart of any notion of
ethnic minority communities. community is the responsibility of
each individual to respect and care
1.24 for others, and the entitlement of
But much remains to be done. each individual to be respected and
Following on from the first cared for. Within these broad
Manchester Conference, there is obligations and rights, we
an explicit need to include disabled recognise that young people and
people in the structures of the our older citizens are most likely to
MLSP. Further consideration will be economically inactive and
need to be given with disabled vulnerable.
people as to whether this should be
through a strategic partnership - 1.27
on a similar basis to the Agenda The future of Manchester will
2010 Steering Group and Annual depend on the talents and
Conference - or through the experiences of its young people. It
existing structures of the MLSP. is crucial therefore that
Whether or not there needs to be opportunities are available and
explicit structures relating to other services are able to respond to the
communities of interest will also needs of young people at different
need to be addressed. times in their lives. These issues
will be addressed by Manchester’s
Children and Young People’s
Strategy, which will be developed
8through consultation starting early environmental challenges in
in 2002. relation to securing further
improvements in air quality and
1.28 waste management can be better
Manchester has a significant addressed at the level of the
population of older people. Many of conurbation. For example, the ten
them suffer from low incomes, fear Greater Manchester authorities are
of crime, poor health care and a currently developing a joint Air
lack of involvement in everyday life. Quality Action Plan that is likely to
In response, the City is developing comprise an ongoing package of
a Strategy for Better Governance measures which will include
for Older People. The Council and awareness-raising and education,
health agencies are key partners in new technology and improved
this but the Strategy required is public transport.
much wider than the health and
social care agenda. Older people Embracing the Digital Age
are also users of many public
services, and these must become 1.31
more responsive to their needs. Over the last 10 years the advent
Consultation on this Strategy is of the ‘information society’ has
also planned for early 2002. transformed how we do business,
how we access services, how we
Environment learn, and how we play. The
challenge for Manchester is to keep
1.29 pace with this change and ensure
We recognise the need to work at that all individuals and institutions –
both the strategic and more local public, private, voluntary and
level to improve the quality of community – are capable of
Manchester’s environment. We capturing and unlocking the social
also know that there is much more and economic benefits of such
to be done to secure tangible and technologies and their applications.
lasting improvements in the
appearance and maintenance of 1.32
the physical environment, and that Manchester is well placed to move
such improvements will have a forward and be at the leading edge
positive impact on local of Information Society
neighbourhoods by making them developments within the UK and
more attractive places in which to Europe. The City is increasingly
live, work and invest. attracting inward investment from
internet and e-commerce
1.30 companies and now has the only
The MCS intends to mainstream international internet exchange in
environmental issues and, more the country outside of London -
importantly, to develop integrated Telecity - which is based at the
responses to address the City’s Manchester Science Park.
economic, social and
environmental needs. Each 1.33
thematic chapter of the MCS - and Notwithstanding these positive
in particular the housing, crime and developments, there is no doubt
transport sections - seeks to that the impact of new technologies
respond to this approach. However, across the City is highly
9differentiated, in terms of • the setting of targets for the
geography, disadvantaged groups electronic delivery of services
and economic sectors. This is for all public services operating
partly due to continued market in the City.
failure. It is also due to a growing
disparity between the 'information 1.36
rich' and 'information poor' and a These priorities cut across all of the
lack of progress in connecting MCS’s themes and demand a
opportunities and needs, especially coherent approach to ICT-related
amongst disadvantaged groups. public investment. To bring forward
such an approach will demand new
1.34 structures and new ways of
The MCS has a central role to play working together.
in addressing this. It is a priority to
ensure that every neighbourhood, Delivery
family, individual and institution is
able to access, harness and use 1.37
ICTs and related services to The delivery of the MCS is
improve their quality of life and considered in more detail in
deliver real economic benefits to Chapter 9, but it will depend first
the City. and foremost on the development
of excellent working relationships
1.35 between partners through the
We must ensure that we offer a structures of the MLSP.
clear strategic vision that ties Manchester’s role as the regional
together e-commerce, e- capital of the North West means
community, e-government and e- that the objectives for the City can
learning. Our immediate priorities only be achieved through involving
must address the following: and influencing sub-regional,
regional, national and international
• the adoption of a ‘whole-city’ organisations and institutions.
approach to the development of
the local ICT infrastructure, 1.38
ensuring that it can meet the The City’s community, voluntary
broadband requirements of and faith groups also have a key
business and personal users; contribution to make - via the
Community Network for
• the continued development of Manchester (MC4N) - to the work
facilities for the City’s most of the MLSP. The MC4N will
excluded residents; provide an important link between
• the development of ‘content’ the various networks of voluntary
that meets the needs of all and community groups and
residents and stakeholders in organisations that exist in
the City; Manchester and the MLSP, and will
enable this sector to contribute to
• the development of data- the development and delivery of
sharing systems and protocols the MCS. At a local level, tenants
between key public agencies; and residents associations and
and community groups need to be fully
engaged through area-based
regeneration and service
10improvement structures. A critical
factor in the successful delivery of
the MCS will be influencing the
priorities and actions of public
service organisations. The guiding
principle for the MLSP is that the
MCS, and the contributions of
individual agencies, should
promote and improve the well-
being of Manchester people.
1.39
To provide a clear focus for
delivery of the MCS on the ground,
the MLSP will be asked to agree
specific outcome targets for each
theme within the Strategy which will
then be developed in the form of an
agreement between the partners.
This will demonstrate how, by
working together, the MLSP can
deliver better outcomes for
Manchester people than would
have been the case if it did not
exist. The Council has also
negotiated with Government a
Public Service Agreement for
Manchester (see Section 9 for
more detail). This is an agreement
between the Council, with support
from its partners on the MLSP, and
Government to achieve specific
targets - in 13 areas - related to the
objectives of the MCS either more
quickly, or to a greater extent, in
return for relaxations in
Government controls.
112. COMPETING IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
Current Position of the Metrolink light rail system and the
M60 orbital motorway. Such
2.1 developments will have a significant
The City lies at the core of the Greater influence on employment and
Manchester conurbation acting as an investment patterns.
engine of growth, a focal point for
investment, jobs and creativity, and 2.5
gives the region its international profile. The creation of Manchester Enterprises
The concentration of regional capital has been accompanied by the
functions in Manchester allows the City establishment of an agreed Economic
to compete on an international rather Development Plan for the City Pride
than a regional or national level. area. This Plan takes account of and
explicitly recognises the international,
2.2 national, regional and sub-regional
There is no doubt that the functioning of policy frameworks - in particular, the
the City’s economy is increasingly North West Regional Strategy - and
affected by changes in the global sets the strategic economic context to
economy. However, responsibility for enable Manchester to play its part in
addressing these challenges and improving the competitiveness of the
opportunities rests primarily with local City Pride area and the wider region.
agencies.
2.6
2.3 Rather than reproducing the detailed
From a Manchester perspective the last analysis and content of the City Pride
10 years have not only been marked by EDP, this section will identify the key
major changes in the local economy, priorities that will enable Manchester to
but also by our approach to working in compete in the global economy and
partnership across the conurbation and enable wealth to be generated and
the establishment of new structures retained in the City, and will set out the
and agencies to enable those who live, approach to the economic development
work and invest within the City to of the core of the City Pride area.
compete more effectively in the global
economy. Key Issues and Priorities
2.4 2.7
The time and investment made in the Over the last decade Manchester has
City Pride Partnership has been worked closely with its neighbouring
rewarded by the creation of Manchester districts to develop a clearer
Enterprises, the economic development understanding of the functioning of the
agency that covers the City Pride area local economy, its strengths and what
of Manchester, Salford, Trafford and needs to be done in order to compete
Tameside - and Stockport for the within an increasingly competitive world
purpose of service delivery. It is economy. The EDP for the City Pride
recognised, however, that the City area sets out the clear intention to
Pride area is the core of a wider develop the sub-region, its businesses
Manchester city-region which will be and people as:
further strengthened by the extension
12• a good place to do business, social economy. To this end, the
with a thriving and well MLSP’s economic and local
networked business community employment partnership will be
which supports the economy and responsible for bringing forward an
the wider community – action plan to address the development
businesses which want to, and needs of this important sector. This
have the capacity to succeed; work will recognise the value and role
of social entrepreneurship in
• an investment location with a Manchester and will help to build
national and international image successful social ventures that can
as an attractive place to invest, meet and contribute to the much
work and live; broader regeneration goals of the MCS.
• a workforce which is highly 2.10
skilled and well motivated and Manchester Enterprises and its
can truly meet the skill needs of subsidiary companies (including the
the economy; a place where Small Business Service franchise),
there are far fewer disparities in along with the North West Development
employment and everyone who Agency, Greater Manchester Learning
wants to can participate in and Skills Council, Connexions Service,
economic success; local authorities, learning institutions
and the private, voluntary and
• a place where all our young community sectors all have a key role
people can make a successful in delivering these economic drivers
transition from education, and the strategic objectives that
through structured training to support them. Within Manchester, each
long-term employment, whether and every one is important to the
that transition happens at age development of the local economy and
16,17, 18 or 21; and the elimination of exclusion from the
labour market. The remainder of this
• an area with a pleasing, chapter will raise a series of priorities
functional and effective that are central to enabling Manchester
infrastructure and environment. to compete in a global economy and
ensuring that wealth generation is
2.8 sustainable and the employment
This vision for the City Pride economy created accessible to those who live in
has been developed from a thorough the City.
understanding of the strengths and
weaknesses of the local economy. Developing Wealth and
Annex 1 outlines how this vision has Competitiveness in a Global
been translated into six inter-related, Economy
and mutually reinforcing economic
drivers and a series of strategic 2.11
objectives for each driver. Over the last 10 years, Manchester has
made significant strides in repositioning
2.9 itself as an international city of
These priorities for action were commercial, cultural and creative
confirmed by the first Manchester repute. This success can be measured
Conference along with the proposal to in many ways. Manchester is now in
include an additional key priority in the top 10 European cities for business
relation to the development of the City’s location and the world’s top 50 as a
13conference centre, for example. The • a new era of city centre
city centre has the highest retail rental residential development.
levels of any regional centre in the
country, and Manchester is now the 2.12
second most visited city by overseas The challenge for Manchester is to
visitors in England after London. The combine sustainable growth and wealth
reasons for this success are many and generation with the delivery of real local
varied, however, the following factors benefits to the City’s residents in terms
can be identified as central to the of employment and quality of life. To
economic regeneration of the City: create a sustainable economic future
for Manchester we must continue the
• a concentration of established progress we have made and create the
and emerging internationally right conditions to be globally
competitive growth sectors such competitive. Our long-term vision for
as financial and business Manchester is based on achieving:
services, cultural and creative
industries, ICT-related • a thriving economy based on the
industries, life-sciences and industries of the future;
tourism;
• the support for and the
• the presence of one of the development of research and
largest University campuses in educational facilities to get us
Europe covering three HEIs, and keep us there;
which together create a vital
knowledge-base for the region • residents with the skills to
and significant source of talent compete for the employment
for existing and new employers; created and to sustain those
industries;
• the role of the City as a major
transport hub and the continued • a quality infrastructure that can
expansion of such infrastructure support the demands of
at Manchester Airport, along with businesses; and
the extension of the Metrolink
light rail system; • a world class city centre, and an
improved quality of life and
• the re-development of the city environment in every part of the
centre following the bomb in City.
1996, the expansion of the
commercial and retail sectors, 2.13
and record levels of private Manchester has cultivated and
investment which as generated exploited many of the assets that it
over 15,000 new jobs; possesses to create a globally
competitive city. However, we will need
• a distinctive profile and identity to continue to nurture and develop
which attracts positive media these assets to strengthen our
attention; competitive advantage. For example,
the City Centre Strategic Plan - which is
• the presence of cultural, leisure currently out for consultation - provides
and sporting flagship facilities; a framework for continued
and regeneration, investment and service
improvement in the city centre over the
14coming years. Strong civic leadership Biotechnology Facility at the University
and dynamic partnership action will of Manchester will provide small
help to ensure that Manchester companies and academics with access
maintains its position as the nation’s to essential facilities, to support
leading regional centre, and continues emerging fields such as bio-informatics
to compete as an international and tissue engineering. However, there
investment location and visitor is a need for Manchester’s share of
destination. national research and development
income to be increased. The need to
Building Better Businesses support and nurture the science base in
the City will be of paramount
2.14 importance to the long-term economic
Over the next decade Manchester must development of Manchester and the
continue to transform its economic region.
base through the development of new
and high growth employment sectors, Creating a World Class Workforce
as well as supporting the and Ensuring the Best Transition to
competitiveness of existing businesses. Working Life for all our Young
Central to this will be the local People
economy’s transition to a knowledge-
based economy. 2.17
Our HEIs are vital to the strength of the
2.15 regional centre. In association with
We will concentrate on stimulating and exploiting the economic potential of the
developing those business sectors knowledge-base, it is important to
where we are already internationally ensure that these institutions strive
competitive, and focus on supporting towards excellence and that more is
‘sun-rise’ businesses that will emerge done to retain the graduates they
from our knowledge-base. The regional produce within the regional centre. A
centre has a number of key assets key focus has to be on creating the
which will form the building blocks to employment opportunities within
becoming a global force in knowledge- Manchester to enable graduates to
based industries: HEIs which provide a secure jobs and live in the City.
strong science base; an entrepreneurial
spirit; a culture of innovation in creative 2.18
and knowledge industries; and an ICT In addition to providing the necessary
capacity to match the best in the employment and lifestyle opportunities
country. that graduates demand, we must also
recognise that emerging from our
2.16 knowledge-base is a constant flow of
Our HEIs not only have a critical role to highly skilled and creative individuals.
play in the future long-term economic We must capture their entrepreneurship
development of Manchester – and the and flair to create new businesses in
rest of the North West – they also need the arts, cultural and media sectors.
to be competing for and securing new The nurturing of such talent should be a
facilities and resources to enable them key element of a proposed Manchester
to enhance and broaden the quality of Entrepreneurship Strategy. Such a
the science base. Manchester is strategy would facilitate the
achieving success in particular spheres development of programmes to support
such as biotechnology where, for the formation and growth of new
example, the prospect of a new businesses by people from a range of
15backgrounds and support actions to investment, employment and wider
build more positive attitudes to, and regeneration benefits that will be
experience of, enterprise at all levels of secured for the City, and East
the education system. Manchester in particular. We will
continue to act to deliver a successful
2.19 Games and to maximise the legacy
However, it is even more important that benefits of the Games to showcase the
we continue to improve the skills of City to the rest of the world, and to
those in work, and provide those who encourage inward and indigenous
are out of work with the opportunity to investment into the Manchester
acquire life skills and vocational and economy.
academic qualifications. We need to
ensure that individuals, businesses and 2.22
learning providers are able to respond We will seek to maximise these
to the changing skill needs of the local economic benefits by ensuring that
economy to ensure that the City is able potential investors are aware of
to compete for investment and jobs in Manchester as a major investment
the international marketplace. The local location, by providing bespoke services
education system also needs to to potential investors from across a
prepare children and young people for range of partner organisations, and by
new work cultures and new skill targeting investment in key growth
demands if the City is to develop a truly sectors. We will build on the City’s
world class labour force capable of branding initiatives to attract inward
retaining and attracting globally investment from high-technology firms,
competitive businesses. growth companies, research
organisations and funding support
2.20 operations. We will reinforce
This approach to skills development Manchester’s reputation as a centre for
must be underpinned by the creation of innovation and entrepreneurship
a strong learning culture among through the establishment of the
individuals, communities and Manchester Science and Enterprise
businesses. However, this must be Centre and incubation facilities at North
facilitated by existing learning Manchester Business Park.
institutions and agencies responding to
the needs of those communities who 2.23
have not previously given learning a A key strength of the City’s economy is
high priority. The skills and workforce its ‘independent’ business sector which
development strategies of Manchester is an important source of Manchester’s
Enterprises, the Greater Manchester dynamism and identity. We will develop
Learning and Skills Council and North new approaches to maximising the
West Development Agency will have a contribution of this sector to the
key role to play and need to be aligned regeneration of Manchester.
to the MCS.
Delivering Local Benefit for
Attracting and Sustaining Investors Manchester Residents
2.21 2.24
The 2002 Commonwealth Games have Equipping Manchester residents with
been a key component of Manchester’s the confidence, skills and opportunity to
economic development strategy for compete for jobs in the local economy
many years due to the major and beyond is central to improving
16quality of life and eradicating social Providing a Competitive
exclusion. The focus for action must be Infrastructure
on increasing residents’ skill levels and
employability to reflect the changing 2.28
demands of the local economy, Manchester must provide the quality,
rebuilding an employment culture in mix and availability of business
communities where it is absent, accommodation required by strategic
informal or under-stated, and enabling investors and demanding end-users in
them to access employment key sectors. There are a number of
opportunities as they become available. strategic sites and corridors within
The provision of a high quality Manchester where development would
education system that provides contribute significantly towards
opportunities for all to engage in improving both the urban renaissance
lifelong learning, must be matched by of the conurbation core and linkages
efforts to encourage local employers to with the city centre of which the
improve access to high quality, Southern and Eastern Gateways, the
sustainable employment opportunities. North Manchester Business Park, and
the area around Granada along the left
2.25 bank of the River Irwell are particular
Disabled people, who have traditionally examples. Large scale regeneration
been excluded from the world of work projects such as that currently
will also need co-ordinated support, underway at Spinningfields will provide
access and opportunity to move into a focus for significant new investment
employment. This will be the focus of and employment in the City. By
the Welfare to Work Joint Investment securing major development projects
Plan for Disabled People which will be including modern large floor-plate office
implemented over the next two years. buildings, the City will improve its
competitive advantage both on a
2.26 national and international level, by
The Agenda 2010 employment action ensuring it can meet the demands of
plan will focus on reducing the labour world class companies and major office
market disadvantage experienced by users.
the City’s ethnic minority communities
and aims to ensure that these 2.29
communities are represented in all To compete in the new global economy
Manchester’s employment sectors and Manchester will maintain its
occupations in proportion to the commitment to prioritising ICTs and
population. ensure that the City continues to have a
state of the art digital infrastructure that
2.27 will enable businesses to trade
The implementation of the overarching electronically. The presence of such an
Manchester Employment Plan - which infrastructure will also continue to
is currently being developed by the attract and develop internet and new
Council, Manchester Enterprises, the media companies within the City.
Employment Service and other key
public service employers - will involve a 2.30
range of actions to tackle The need to create a City that is
unemployment, increase employability attractive to investors and businesses,
and improve access to jobs for where skilled workers want to live and
Manchester residents. where people want to visit is dependent
on a range of issues that the MCS must
17address. Crime, and the perception of
the City as a consequence of it, acts as
a disincentive to investors and visitors,
and diminishes the attractiveness of the
City as a place to live. Addressing
crime is vital to the creation of a strong
economy and the ability of the City to
attract and retain skilled, well paid
residents who can, in themselves help
support the local economy with their
own spending power.
2.31
Manchester works within a much
broader City-region economy. Providing
access to jobs outside Manchester will
be as important as the provision of
access within the City. An effective and
quality public transport system within
Manchester and across the wider
conurbation, will act as an incentive to
investors who can see that locating in
the City means good access to the
large labour force. A good public
transport system also significantly
enhances Manchester’s ability to act as
a focal point for wider regional cultural,
tourism and recreational activity.
Improved links to the City increases the
viability of new and enhanced cultural
assets and maintains momentum
behind Manchester as a place to visit.
2.32
Finally, securing a much wider
transformation of the urban
environment will underpin the
development of new industrial and
commercial infrastructure. The growth
of the city centre over the last 10 years
as a place to live, aligned with new
cultural and leisure assets, a quality
public realm, improved retail facilities,
and a demand for new office
accommodation, has created a vibrant,
thriving city centre where people want
to live, work, visit and invest in.
Maintaining this momentum in
Manchester will be vital to sustaining
the City as a centre for investment
growth.
183. INVESTING IN CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Current Position young people each year progress into
higher education.
3.1
The agenda for children, families and 3.4
young people in Manchester must Despite a faster rate of improvement -
respond to the economic and social compared to other major cities -
needs and aspirations of the City. A attendance levels in Manchester
step-change improvement in the schools remain low, with condoned
performance of the local education absence by parents a major concern.
system is critical to both enabling The educational attainment of children
residents to realise their potential and in need, and particularly those in the
enabling the City as a whole to develop care of the Council, is improving though
its role as a dynamic, sustainable and not quickly enough. Amongst 15-16
attractive location for residents and year olds, approximately 8% have
investors. developed long-standing patterns of
truancy and have become disengaged
3.2 from the mainstream curriculum. By
Good schools are fundamental to contrast, historically high levels of
creating sustainable communities and permanent exclusions from Manchester
to preventing the loss of families to schools have fallen sharply and at a
neighbouring districts. A highly faster rate than the national average.
educated, skilled workforce is also
essential to improving the economic 3.5
prospects of the City, as competitive This position has been acknowledged
advantage is increasingly based on by the Council, which has responded
applied knowledge, the use of new positively to the Ofsted/Audit
technologies and the ability to innovate. commission inspection of the Local
Education Authority. The Council has
3.3 developed and implemented a
Manchester has made improvements constructive Action Plan. The Council
across a range of education indicators has also revised the Education
in recent years. However, the City's Development Plan and other strategies
GCSE performance is still well below for school improvement - including out-
the national average, with too many of-school initiatives and physical
pupils leaving school at age 16 with no improvements through the PFI process
qualifications at all. Also, girls perform - within the context of the City's wider
significantly better than boys, and regeneration objectives. The Council,
pupils from some ethnic minority therefore, has ensured that new
communities fare disproportionately educational initiatives and partnerships
less well. An increasing number of (including Education Action Zones,
Manchester pupils are now going on to Excellence in Cities, Sure Start and
further and higher education, or Children's Fund) are set within the
structured work-based training, but in regeneration strategies that are being
some parts of the City less than 1% of
19developed to ensure that local 3.10
communities can become sustainable. We are also striving to achieve
improved outcomes for children placed
3.6 with adoption and fostering services,
Families also have a fundamental role and for looked after children and those
to play outside of school, by providing leaving care. Through the MPSA
support and encouragement to children process, challenging targets have been
to enable them to realise their potential. set to increase the number of children
However, it is also recognised that placed for adoption.
some families need help and support
from a range of agencies to help them 3.11
achieve the best for their children. Sure Start partnerships have been
successful in reducing the levels of
3.7 deprivation in the City, engaging
Children with additional needs also families and communities in multi-
require a greater level of support. The agency work to support improved
Council has recently agreed a new outcomes for child health, well-being
vision which will inform the delivery of and education. A City-wide reduction in
services to children in need, to ensure the level of deprivation requires service
that they have a good quality of life and providers to incorporate changed
achieve their full potential. working practices and attitudes into
mainstream core services.
3.8
Social care services which promote 3.12
independence and support people who The Connexions service offers similar
have previously been socially excluded opportunities to develop localised multi-
are essential in closing the gap agency solutions to ensure improved
between the most deprived life chances for young people aged 13-
communities and those that are more 19 years. Connexions partnerships will
successful. Social care is an important work together to support and lead
element of early intervention services young people through the transition
that can help to prevent family from school to further education,
breakdown, and offending and training or employment.
dysfunctional behaviour.
3.13
3.9 The provision of adult education is
There is also a need to provide some recognised as an important aspect in
children with alternative care away from enabling residents to access job
their birth families. This will require a opportunities. However, its value to
major improvement in the quality and personal growth and community
choice of looked-after services development cannot be
provided, to ensure that children can underestimated.
maximise their life chances and so that
they can be prevented from becoming 3.14
socially excluded. Manchester's Universities and Colleges
are also vital to the strength of the City
20and the region, but it is important to improved co-ordination of
ensure that they continue to strive mainstream services, plans,
towards excellence, promote lifelong funding and special programmes
learning, improve access to residents, for children, young people and
and that more is done to retain the families across the City,
students they produce. ensuring that children and
families get the quality of
Key Issues and Priorities services they need, when and
where they need them.
3.15
Delivering major improvements in significantly improving the
educational attainment in Manchester is educational attainment of
one of the City's key objectives. It is children in the City's poorest
one that must be delivered if economic communities to increase the life
and social disadvantages are to be chances of young people, and to
tackled, and young people are to be improve the likelihood of
equipped with the qualifications and neighbourhoods becoming
skills which will be of real benefit in sustainable.
their future lives.
reducing offending behaviour,
3.16 improving access to health, and
Manchester must not only improve at a generally improving the quality of
faster rate than the norm, it must also life of children and young
out perform neighbouring districts in all people.
areas of educational attainment, if the
City is to develop and sustain its supporting children in need and
population and economic base. those looked after in
Manchester, so they can have a
3.17 good quality of life and be full
The delivery of services to support and active members of the
children, families and young people community. Social care,
requires a multi-agency approach. Joint education, health and other
planning arrangements have therefore partners also need to work
been established, although the together to improve early
opportunity exists to develop a greater intervention and support so that
integration of services to enhance there are fewer children in need
existing provision and deliver improved in the City and fewer cared for
outcomes. by the Council.
3.18 ensuring that the opportunities
New approaches are being considered for Post 16 education and
which will provide significant and training lead to improved
sustainable improvements in the staying-on rates of 16 year olds
performance and delivery of education in further education or structured
and social care in Manchester. Key work-based training.
actions will focus on:
21increasing the number of interventions are being
Manchester young people refocused to prevent the
progressing to Higher Education. development of such problems
by targeting those at risk of
ensuring that the facilities and exclusion.
services of schools and learning
institutions are accessible to when compared with the national
residents and contribute to the picture, Manchester has very
life of the communities that they high numbers of children with
serve. Special Educational Needs, with
relatively few in mainstream
3.19 schools. Much greater
In response to these issues, the City emphasis will be placed on early
has focused on the following: - intervention, improving
educational attainment, and on
ensuring that children are given increasing the capacity of
a good start to their learning mainstream schools to meet
careers. The City will continue to their needs within their
maximise Government initiatives communities.
such as Sure Start and invest
heavily in early years education, investment in the physical fabric
and will aim to secure free of schools is a key priority to
access for every 3 year old bring the learning environment -
whose parents want a high both buildings and facilities such
quality nursery education place. as ICT - up to the standard
The Children's Fund will also required for a modern education
provide an increased level of, system. The School
and better co-ordinated, Organisation Committee has
preventative services, primarily important role to play in ensuring
for children and young people the provision of schools places is
aged 5-13 years. adequate to meet demand, and
carefully planned to be
The implemenation of the consistent with the strategies for
Manchester Education neighbourhood renewal across
Development Plan for 2002/07 the City
which will include measures to
improve engagement in learning, in consultation with the new
and educational attainment and Manchester Local Learning
standards in the City's schools. Partnership - a broad based
partnership involving
children who are not in school Manchester Enterprises, public
are missing the opportunity to agencies, further and higher
learn. Pupils who truant, or who education institutions, employers
fall away from learning following and the voluntary sector - and
exclusion from school, enter a the local Learning and Skills
spiral of failure. Services and Council - the Council is
22preparing a Post 16 Plan that will
be responsive to local needs.
This strategy will also ensure
strong linkages with the
Connexions Service which will
start in Manchester in
September 2002. The
development of Excellence
Challenge, as part of Excellence
in Cities, will lead to more local
young people attending
university.
Manchester's HEIs enjoy strong
national and international
reputations in terms of teaching
quality and research in certain
areas, particularly in medical
sciences, business and
management, and computing.
However, this is not the case in
many areas of their activity and
major improvements will be
sought.
234. HOUSING AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
Current Position • the economic base of local
communities, that is, the amount of
4.1 money circulating within the local
Deprivation in Manchester is area and potentially able to support
widespread, with 27 out of our 33 shops, recreational, health and
wards classified as within the 107 other community facilities;
most deprived wards in England and
Wales. These deprived • the quality of life of residents,
neighbourhoods have many different measured in terms of educational
characteristics, but all suffer from: provision, a safe and pleasant
high levels of unemployment and environment, good health, the
poverty; paucity in the range of absence of crime, and other
social and community facilities taken factors which influence people’s
for granted in most parts of the choices about where they live
country; low levels of skills and and work;
educational attainment; and poor
housing and environmental • the strength of local community
conditions. The economic changes networks and organisations, the
which have affected Manchester in support they give to residents and
recent decades have resulted in a the extent to which they are valued
serious decline in businesses, by residents;
employment and population. This
decline has been particularly acute in • the quality of public services at
these neighbourhoods, resulting in a an everyday level, that is, the
resident population which has quality of management of local
relatively few life chances and a high neighbourhoods; and
degree of dependency upon support
from local and national government. • the ability of all residents to
access homes suited to their
4.2 needs and aspirations.
Our objective of building sustainable
communities depends ultimately 4.4
upon the exercise of choice – both in These factors, taken together,
the extent to which residents have critically affect the stability of local
the ability to choose where they live communities. Whilst this section of
and, where they do have this ability, the MCS focuses primarily upon
the extent to which they exercise that housing and environmental
choice in favour of their improvements, the future of
neighbourhoods and communities. residential areas also rests upon
quality of life factors such as the
4.3 need to improve schools and reduce
Sustainability consequently hinges crime. These issues are addressed
upon a number of factors:- in more detail elsewhere in the MCS.
244.5 continue to press for resources to
The City’s housing market is support that regeneration.
fragmented. Many areas in the South
of the City have seen very strong 4.8
growth in demand and values as The City has - along with other local
house prices in areas such as authorities - put detailed proposals to
Chorlton, Withington and Didsbury Government for a radical new
have risen sharply. In the city centre, approach to housing and
there has been exponential growth in neighbourhood renewal that will link
residential development and values physical regeneration to mainstream
have risen very sharply throughout investment. Economic regeneration
the latter part of the 1990s as must be supported by step changes
demand for city centre living has in the quality of core public services
grown. such as education and policing, but
also by the creation of attractive
4.6 residential neighbourhoods that can
The key issue facing Manchester is attract and retain economically active
that of failing housing markets in residents and sustain existing
some parts of the City, and communities.
particularly in parts of North and East
Manchester. In these areas, the 4.9
demand for traditional pre-1919 The issue of housing market failure
terraced homes has collapsed and is complex. The absence of quality
this has resulted in significant drops and choice in the housing stock itself
in value, increasing problems of is a critical factor, as are growing
abandonment, high levels of problems of crime and disorder.
negative equity for owner-occupiers, However, environmental factors also
and high levels of exclusion of have an important part to play in the
residents and communities who are process.
suffering from the effects of market
failure. These factors all threaten the 4.10
development of sustainable We recognise that there is much
communities. The problem is far more to be done to improve the
from universal, but where it is at its quality and management of the City’s
worst the normal functioning of the physical environment, but everybody
housing market has ceased due to has a part to play, however small,
the absence of value and demand. and each contribution can make a
difference. The cornerstone of our
4.7 approach has been one of securing
The Council will use all of its powers practical improvements in the quality
under Section 2 of the Local of the local environment by working
Government Act (2000) in order in partnership with as many local
support the physical, social and stakeholders as possible, ranging
environmental regeneration of our from small community groups to
residential neighbourhoods and will large businesses.
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