Voters right across Greater Manchester will head to the polls on Thursday 6th May.
In what is being dubbed by some as the largest and most complex set of elections ever set to take place across the UK following more than a year of suspension due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, those heading to their local polling station will not only vote 2021’s elections, but also 2020 too.
Voters across the North West will this year be choosing from hundreds of local councillors, Police & Crime Commissioners, and a number of different types of Mayors.
While this is not the case within Greater Manchester, in some areas of the North West region, voters could be faced with up to seven different ballots papers on election day, with additional elections also taking place for parish councils or local planning referendums too.
So, what are we voting on in Greater Manchester this year?
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Greater Manchester Combined Authority Mayoral Election – This role includes Police and Crime Commissioner for Greater Manchester Police.
Local Council elections – 34 local councillors to be elected in Manchester, and there are also two councillor vacancies, one in the Brooklands ward and one in the Openshaw ward of the City of Manchester.
Are you voting in the local and GM Mayoral elections on 6 May?
You'll be given two ballot papers, with two different voting methods.
Please follow the instructions on the papers so you know how to vote correctly. pic.twitter.com/Ly2HRgv4DO
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) April 29, 2021
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) is a legal body which allows the Greater Manchester councils to formally cooperate with each other and partners on large-scale strategic projects that are of importance to the whole region, like transport, regeneration and skills, fire, policing, business and low carbon initiatives.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester is a major figure in the political life of the region, and is entrusted with unique powers and responsibilities.
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Polling stations will be open between 7am to 10pm.
Although the polls will be open as normal on Thursday 6th May, it is expected that more people will apply for postal votes this year, and it has also been confirmed that a number of necessary COVID-safety measures will be put in place at polling stations on the day.
Candidates will also need to maintain social distancing during the election campaign.
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At polling stations, voters will need to wear face coverings – unless medically exempt – and social distancing measures will be widely enforced, along with hand sanitising stations.
It is also advised that voters bring their own pens or pencils to mark ballot papers.
GM Elects
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, there will be emergency measures for people who have tested positive prior, or who have been forced to self-isolate.
Under this circumstance, an emergency proxy can be appointed up to 5pm on polling day.
Although the checking or verification of the votes will begin immediately after polling stations close at 10pm on Thursday 6th May, it is expected that it will take several days before all the results are known.
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You can find more information via the GM Elects website here.
Appeal launched to find the owner of live chickens found at Creamfields festival
Daisy Jackson
The hunt is on to find the owner of a pair of chickens who were discovered at Creamfields festival.
The two birds were spotted on the grounds of the huge electronic music festival by bewildered festival-goers.
The cockerel and hen were trapped in a hedge, after it appears they wandered onto the festival campsite before the security barriers were installed.
The birds then found themselves trapped inside as around 70,000 music fans poured into Cheshire for a line-up that included Calvin Harris, Swedish House Mafia, Disclosure, and Tiësto.
The chickens have been safely rescued from the Creamfields festival site and are recovering at a wildlife centre, and now the RSPCA is on a mission to find their owner.
Festival-goers first called the RSPCA on Saturday 29 August to alert them to the cockerel and hen trapped inside the festival, one of whom assisted in the rescue mission.
RSPCA Inspector Leanne Cooper: “I was surprised that they were inside the festival site and I needed to get through the road blocks and security before reaching them on foot through muddy fields. I met the caller who helped me as they were just running up and down the hedge line where there was a wire fence blocking access.
Where the chickens were discovered at CreamfieldsThe RSPCA wants to track their owners down
“We managed to guide them out and I caught both of them with my rescue net which was a bit of a sight for the festival campers.
“I don’t think they were abandoned and they’re more likely to be stray because it’s farmland all around the festival site. They don’t have any health issues, apart from being quite underweight.
“With the fences going up a week before the festival starts they’d probably been unable to get out for some time and had been left foraging in the hedge. Someone mentioned that a third bird was also trapped, although we couldn’t find any others.
“I am really grateful to the festival-goer who found them and alerted us to their plight.”
Manchester Airport issues update for anyone flying today after hundreds of cancellations yesterday
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Airport has issued an update for anyone catching a flight today after hundreds of cancellations yesterday.
In case you hadn’t heard, hundreds of flights at several major UK airports – including Manchester Airport – were disrupted by a technical fault at air traffic control provider National Air Traffic Services (NATS) yesterday (8 September 2026), with the incident grounding planes and resulting in numerous cancellations.
According to Flightradar24, more than 1,000 flights were cancelled nationwide, and many passengers were told to expect disruption for the rest of the day.
One of the worst-affected airlines was said to be Ryanair, with around 65,000 passengers affected by the cancellations and delays.
Manchester Airport issued its first statement addressing the matter at 3:15pm yesterday, stating: “We are aware of an issue affecting NATS’ air traffic control service at UK airports, which may result in delays to some departing flights from Manchester Airport today.
“Passengers due to travel are advised to check the latest status of their flight with their airline. We will continue to monitor the situation and share further updates as more information becomes available.”
Now, although the issue has been resolved, Manchester Airport has issued further statements informing anyone travelling today what they can expect.
The airport started off by saying that it is ‘operating as normal’ today, but that passengers are advised to ‘check with their airline for the latest information’.
The Manc -
5th May 2021 
