The UK government has allocated councils in Greater Manchester over £6.2 million extra to tackle potholes across the region.
After research carried out by Manchester-based personal injury specialists at JMW Solicitors back in 2020, combined with data provided by fixmystreet.com, uncovered that, as of January 2021, there were a total 7,114 reported open pothole cases in the region, it’s now been revealed that local councils will receive extra funding from the governmentto tackle rising numbers.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced an extra £200 million will be allocated to tackling the “curse of potholes” in his first Budget for 2023 yesterday.
Mr Hunt says the extra funding follows “a wet then cold winter”.
Councils across England will get additional funding to help tackle potholes.
This funding will help to lower vehicle maintenance costs for workers, families & business and will safeguard the country's road network for the future. pic.twitter.com/xqb8QuPxt3
He told MPs in the House of Commons yesterday: “I received particularly strong representations from my honourable friend from North Devon, South West Devon and Newton Abbott, as well as Councillor Peter Martin from my own constituency about the curse of potholes.
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“The spending review allocated £500 million every year to the potholes fund, but today, I’ve decided to increase that fund by a further £200 million.”
He added that the further £200 million will be to “help local communities tackle this problem”.
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The total of £6,210,400 extra funding allocated for Greater Manchester is to be distributed across all 10 boroughs, but it hasn’t been confirmed at this point whether this will be evenly distributed or based on the number of potholes in each region.
As well as Greater Manchester, fellow North West regions have also been awarded various sums of money from the fund.
Lancashire is to get £5,122,000, an extra £2,319,600 will go to Cheshire East and £1,765,200 to Cheshire West and Chester, while Blackburn with Darwen will receive £428,000, and Liverpool City Region will be given £3,754,400.
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Government to give Greater Manchester an extra £6.2 million to fill potholes across region / Credit: Wikimedia Commons | Flickr
It is believed, however, that some regions will receive Private Finance initiatives (PFIs) rather than the government funding, according to ITV News – which is a way for the public sector to finance significant public works projects through the private sector to essentially take the burden off the government.
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Emily Sergeant -
16th March 2023 
