Andy Burnham has pledged to build 10,000 new council houses across Greater Manchester before 2028 arrives.
Following his declaration back in January that 2024 would be the year Greater Manchester “gets serious about housing”, the Mayor of Greater Manchester – who was re-elected for his third term as the region’s Labour mayor this past weekend – has vowed to tackle the housing crisis within the next decade, and is promising to build a “new generation” of council homes.
Mr Burnham is keen to put housing “centre stage” and make it a “top priority” over the course of his next mayoral term, and by 2028, he wants there to be 1,000 new council houses in each of Greater Manchester’s 10 boroughs.
This will involve identifying brownfield sites and land owned by public bodies where the homes can be built in each borough.
🏡 Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has pledged to build 10,000 new council homes in the city-region by 2028.
The newly re-elected Mayor today set out his ambition to end the housing crisis in Greater Manchester within a decade.
— Mayor of Greater Manchester (@MayorofGM) May 7, 2024
Also, as part of his wider housing mission, Mr Burnham has also asked the Government to devolve powers to suspend ‘Right to Buy’ on these new-build council homes and in areas of greatest housing need in a bid to help “stem the critical loss” of social housing to the private rented sector in Greater Manchester.
This request comes after it was revealed that our city-region has lost nearly 24,000 homes to ‘Right to Buy’ within in the last 20 years – including 571 sold in 2022-23 alone.
Some of the other housing measures announced by the Mayor yesterday include the introduction of a pilot scheme – which would be rolled-out across Greater Manchester by the end of 2024 – that offers residents the right to request a property check, and the opening of the new ‘GM Good Landlord Charter’ to applications by the summer, setting out standards for rental properties, and supporting landlords to meet them.
Andy Burnham pledges to build 10,000 new council houses in Greater Manchester by 2028 / Credit: Rockpanel | GMCA
Mr Burnham will also look to expand the much-valued ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme to at least 600 places every night during his third mayoral term to provide “crucial support” to rough sleepers as the rising cost of living crisis continues.
The Mayor has confirmed he will continue to donate 15% of his salary each month to support the scheme.
“Greater Manchester can’t achieve its full potential as long as it remains in the grip of a housing crisis,” Mr Burnham explained as he set out his plans for the future as Greater Manchester’s Mayor.
“That is why I am setting a new ambition for the city-region to end it within a decade.
“Everyone deserves to live in a good, safe home, and by building new council homes, and by suspending the Right to Buy on them, we can give our Councils the breathing space they desperately need to replenish their stock, so that all of those waiting in temporary accommodation or on the housing registers have the chance to access good homes.”
Featured Image – Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
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Bob Vylan dropped from Manchester music festival following Glastonbury controversy
Danny Jones
English punk rap duo Bob Vylan have been dropped from an upcoming music festival in Manchester following the recent controversy surrounding their set at Glastonbury 2025.
The media storm surrounding their much-talked-about and heavily televised Glasto appearance has seen them reportedly dropped by their agency and their US Visas cancelled, along with multiple concerts – one of those being right here in Greater Manchester.
Bob Vylan were scheduled to play RADAR Fest at Victoria Warehouse in Stretford this weekend, but now the organisers have informed gig-goers that the artists will not be performing in their planned slot on Saturday.
The alternative music event did provide any additional details, posting nothing but this image:
For anyone unaware, Vylan were heavily criticised for the pro-Palestine chants, which Glastonbury itself has deemed as having “crossed a line”, labelling the chants against the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) as antisemitic.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also commented on the situation.
In addition to RADAR, Vylan were also due to appear at Kave Fest in France the following Sunday, 6 July, but the music event has also decided not to host them.
The BBC also opted not to broadcast Northern Irish band Kneecap as part of their coverage this year, as the Belfast rap trio have also been outspoken on the issue, among many other musicians of late.
Responding to the decision on social media not long after the news broke, the act simply shared the post on their Instagram story along with the caption: “Silence is not an option. We will be fine, the people of Palestine are hurting. Manchester, we will be back.”
Trafford Centre launches school uniform drive to help disadvantaged Manchester families
Emily Sergeant
A school uniform drive has been launched at the Trafford Centre to support local families ahead of the new school year.
With schools across Greater Manchester soon set to be out for the summer holidays, many parents, guardians, and carers in the region may be looking ahead to the new school year in September, concerned about how they may be able to provide their children with the necessary uniform items needed.
According to a 2020 survey by The Children’s Society, 23% of parents reported that the cost of school uniforms led to their children wearing ‘ill-fitting, unclean, or incorrect’ items.
It’s these statistic that highlight the ongoing pressure faced by families.
This is why the Trafford Centre has partnered with both Manchester South Central Foodbank and local charity, Bridging the Gap, to launch a school uniform donation drive aimed at supporting more than 700 children across Manchester this summer.
The Trafford Centre launches a school uniform drive to help disadvantaged Manchester families / Credit: Trafford Centre
From now up until the 15 August, anyone heading to the region’s largest shopping centre is encouraged to donate new or pre-loved school uniforms.
“The cost of living crisis has deeply impacted our community, with more and more families unable to afford the essentials,” commented Emily Jeremy, who is the Assistant Project Manager at Manchester South Central Foodbank.
“As an anti-poverty charity, we recognised the need for school uniform support years ago. Though costs vary between schools, a full set of branded secondary school uniform can total around £150, which is a significant burden for many households.”
All items can be donated at the shopping centre’s Guest Services point / Credit: Darren Robinson Photography | Trafford Centre (Supplied)
Simon Layton, Centre Director at the Trafford Centre, added: “We’re proud to be working alongside Bridging the Gap and Manchester South Central Foodbank to support local families during these challenging times.
“School uniforms shouldn’t be a barrier to education, and we hope this initiative will ease some of the pressure many parents face as the new school year approaches.”
The school uniform donation drive is running up until 15 August.
All items can be taken to the Trafford Centre’s Guest Services Lounge, which is located on Lower Regent Crescent next to M&S, and they must be clean and free from stains or damage.
Emily Sergeant -
8th May 2024 
