Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Leader | |
Chief executive | Joanne Roney since April 2017 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 96 councillors[3] |
 | |
Political groups |
|
Joint committees | Greater Manchester Combined Authority Greater Manchester Police, Fire and Crime Panel |
Length of term | 4 years |
| Elections | |
Last election | 2023 (33 councillors) |
Next election | 2024 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Manchester Town Hall, Albert Square, Manchester | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Manchester City Council is the local authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. Manchester is the sixth largest city in England by population.[4] Its city council is composed of 96 councillors, three for each of the 32 electoral wards of Manchester. The council is controlled by the Labour Party and led by Bev Craig. The official opposition is the Green Party with four councillors. Joanne Roney is the chief executive. Many of the council's staff are based at Manchester Town Hall.
History
Manchester was incorporated in 1838 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 as the Corporation of Manchester or Manchester Corporation. It achieved city status in 1853, only the second such grant since the Reformation. The area included in the city has been increased many times, in 1885 (Bradford, Harpurhey and Rusholme), 1890 (Blackley, Crumpsall, part of Droylsden, Kirkmanshulme, Moston, Newton Heath, Openshaw, and West Gorton), 1903 (Heaton), 1904 (Burnage, Chorlton cum Hardy, Didsbury, and Moss Side), 1909 (Gorton, and Levenshulme), 1931 (Wythenshawe: Baguley, Northenden, and Northen Etchells), and Ringway in 1974. A new Town Hall was opened in 1877 (by Alderman Abel Heywood) and the Mayor of Manchester was granted the title of Lord Mayor in 1893.[5]
Under the Local Government Act 1972 the council was reconstituted as a metropolitan borough council in 1974, and since then it has been controlled by the Labour Party. In 1980, Manchester was the first council to declare itself a nuclear-free zone. In 1984 it formed an equal opportunities unit as part of its opposition to Section 28.[6]
Political make-up
Elections are usually by thirds (a third of the seats elected, three years in every four), although the 2018 and 2004 elections saw all seats contested due to substantial boundary changes. Labour has controlled a majority of seats in every election since the council was reconstituted in 1974. Between 2014 and 2016 Labour occupied every seat with no opposition.[7] In the local elections held on 5 May 2016, former Manchester Withington MP, John Leech, was elected with 53% of the vote signifying the first gain for any party other than Labour for the first time in six years in Manchester and providing an opposition for the first time in two years.[8] On 24 July 2019 it was reported that Majid Dar (Ancoats and Beswick) had been suspended by the Labour party.[9] On the 16th October 2023, Ardwick Cllr Amna Abdullatif resigned from the Labour Party over Keir Starmer's refusal to call for a ceasefire in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war.[10]
| Year | Labour | Liberal Democrats | Green | Conservative | Independent | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current | 87 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| 2023 | 88 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2022 | 92 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2021 | 94 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2019 | 93 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2018 | 94 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2016 | 95 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2015 | 96 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2014 | 96 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2012 | 86 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| 2011 | 75 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| 2010 | 62 | 31 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |||||
| 2008 | 61 | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2007 | 61 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2006 | 62 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2004 | 57 | 38 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2003 | 71 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2002 | 76 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| 2000 | 78 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 1999 | 82 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 1998 | 84 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 1996 | 84 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 1995 | 83 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 1994 | 79 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |||||
| 1992 | 80 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||||
| 1991 | 85 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |||||
| 1990 | 78 | 9 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |||||
| 1987 | 77 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |||||
Coat of arms
A coat of arms was granted to the Manchester Corporation in 1842, passing on to Manchester City Council when the borough of Manchester was granted the title of city in 1853.[11]
- The Shield: red (Gules) with three gold (Or) bands drawn diagonally across to the right hand side.
- The Chief (the white (Argent) top segment): shows a ship at sea in full sail. This is a reference to the city's trading base.
- The Crest: On a multicoloured wreath stands a terrestrial globe, signifying Manchester's world trade, and covered by a swarm of flying bees. The bee was adopted in the 19th century as a symbol of industrial Manchester being the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.
- The Supporters: On the left, a heraldic antelope with a chain attached to a gold (Or) collar, representing engineering industries, and hanging at the shoulder, the red rose of Lancashire, reflecting Manchester's historic position in Lancashire. On the right, a golden lion stands guardant (facing us), crowned with a red (Gules) castle (a reference to the Roman fort at Castlefield from which the city originated). The lion also wears the Red Rose of Lancashire.
- Motto: Concilio et Labore, loosely translated "By wisdom and effort" (or "By counsel and hard work").
In 1954, Manchester Corporation successfully took the Manchester Palace of Varieties to court for improperly using the corporation's arms in its internal decoration and its company seal. The case of Manchester Corporation v Manchester Palace of Varieties Ltd;[12] was the first sitting of the Court of Chivalry for two hundred years, and it has not sat since.[13]
In April 2013, Manchester City Council threatened to take legal action against The Manchester Gazette, for its use of the city's coat of arms on their website. The News Outlet claimed it already gained permission and continued to use it for a further 8 months in spite of the warnings. Withington MP John Leech described the council's latest move as a "massive over-reaction and waste of money", adding: "Have the council's legal department got nothing better to do?".[14][15]
Controversies
On 14 April 2010, the BBC reported that council leader Richard Leese had stood down temporarily from his post as leader of Manchester City Council after having been arrested on suspicion of the common assault of his 16-year-old stepdaughter. He was released after accepting a police caution and admitting striking his stepdaughter across the face.[16][17]
On 12 February 2019, an 'enormous political row' [18] erupted after Manchester Council announced it was consulting the public on a new Public Spare Protection Order which, among other things, targeted 'aggressive' begging and rough sleepers who pitch tents or sleep in doorways.[19] The council's opposition leader, and former Lib Dem MP John Leech sparked further controversy when he tweeted that the potential council policy which was still out for public consultation was "absolute crap".[20]
On 8 March 2019, at a routine council budget meeting, a row erupted before proceedings began.[21] The argument was prompted by a sign put up by Labour above the Lord Mayor's chair at the front of the council chamber, reading '10 Years of Tory And Lib Dem Cuts'. When Leech, the Lib Dem leader, entered the chamber, he took down the message – prompting senior Labour councillor Pat Karney to 'thunder' across the chamber.[22] He began 'screaming' and 'shouting' at Leech, and told him to hand over the laminated A4 pieces of paper at least 11 times.[23]
On 15 April 2019, The Times uncovered a number of offensive tweets from Fallowfield Labour councillor Jade Doswell.[24] Doswell had tweeted that she was a "little bit sick in my mouth" at the sight of an Israeli flag and claimed the flag was 'offensive' and provocative’.[25] She apologised on a private Facebook post.[26]
On 25 July 2019, it was reported that Majid Dar had shared Facebook comparing justifications made by the Nazis for the slaughter of Jews during the Holocaust with those made by Israel's army for its actions in Gaza. Another post stated that Zionism 'keeps changing direction like a snake', whilst replies to one of his other comments included 'Kill all the Jews PERIOD' and 'Israel needs to stop existing'.[27][28]
On 18 March 2020, Greg Stanton stood down from the Liberal Democrats to sit as an Independent councillor. Although Stanton cited his reasons for leaving as "because I could no longer support [John Leech's] leadership", the Liberal Democrats told the Manchester Evening News that Stanton was under "investigation for unacceptable and obstructive behaviour". Stanton stated that the statement was "misleading".[29]
On 20 March 2020, The Manchester Evening News ran an article on Independent councillor Kenneth Dobson (who represents Clayton and Openshaw), after he spread conspiracy theories suggesting that the outbreak of COVID-19 was faked. A series of tweets labelling COVID-19 a 'bogus virus' and a 'load of bol**x' were posted on his Twitter page, alongside images posted describing the pandemic as 'propaganda' and conflating the spread of the virus with the rollout of 5G wireless networks.[30]
On 22 June 2020, Manchester Council's executive member for Finance and Human Resources was suspended by the Labour group, after allegations of sexual abuse were made against him on Twitter.[31][32]
Wards
The council wards are listed under their parliamentary constituency below.
| Blackley and Broughton | Manchester Gorton | Wythenshawe and Sale East |
|---|---|---|
|
| |
| Manchester Central | Manchester Withington | |
Councillors
Each ward is represented by three councillors.[33]
| Parliamentary constituency | Ward | Councillor | Party | Term of office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackley and Broughton constituency |
Charlestown | Basil Curley | Labour | 2023–27 | |
| Hannah Priest | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Veronica Kirkpatrick | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Cheetham | Shazia Butt | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Shaukat Ali | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Naeem-Ul Hassam | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Crumpsall | Fiaz Riasat | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Nasrin Ali | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Mohammad Amin | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Harpurhey | Pat Karney | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Joanne Green | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Sandra Collins | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Higher Blackley | Paula Sadler | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Shelley Lanchbury | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Olusegun Ogunnambo | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Manchester Central constituency |
Ancoats and Beswick | Chris Northwood | Liberal Democrats | 2023–27 | |
| Alan Good | Liberal Democrats | 2022–24[a] | |||
| Irene Robinson | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Ardwick | Amna Abdullatif | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Abdigafar Muse | Labour | 2023–24 | |||
| Tina Hewitson | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Clayton and Openshaw | Sean McHale | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Donna Ludford | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Thomas Robinson | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Deansgate | Anthony McCaul | Labour Co-op | 2023–27 | ||
| Marcus Johns | Labour Co-op | 2021–24 | |||
| Joan Davies | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Hulme | Annette Wright | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Ekua Bayunu | Green[b] | 2021–24 | |||
| Lee-Ann Igbon | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Miles Platting and Newton Heath | John Flanagan | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| June Hitchin | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Carmine Grimshaw | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Moss Side | Mahadi Hussein Sharif Mahamed | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Emily Rowles | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Erinma Bell | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Moston | Yasmine Dar | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Julie Connolly | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Paula Appleby | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Piccadilly | Sam Wheeler | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Jon-Connor Lyons | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Adele Douglas | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Manchester Gorton constituency |
Fallowfield | Jade Doswell | Labour | 2023–27 | |
| Zahra Alijah | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Ali R. Ilyas | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Gorton and Abbey Hey | Afia Kamal | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Julie Reid | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Louis Hughes | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Levenshulme | Basat Sheikh | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Zahid Hussain | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Dzidra Noor | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Longsight | Suzanne Richards | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Luthfur Rahman | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Abid Chohan | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Rusholme | Ahmed Ali | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Jill Lovecy | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Rabnawaz Akbar | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Whalley Range | Angeliki Stogia | Labour Co-op | 2023–27 | ||
| Muqaddasah Bano | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Aftab Razaq | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Manchester Withington constituency |
Burnage | Azra Ali | Labour | 2023–27 | |
| Bev Craig | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Murtaza Iqbal | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Chorlton | Mathew Benham | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Eve Holt | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| John Hacking | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Chorlton Park | Dave Rawson | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Mandie Shilton-Goodwin | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Joanna Midgley | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Didsbury East | James Wilson | Labour Co-op | 2023–27 | ||
| Linda Foley | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Andrew Simcock | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Didsbury West | Richard Kilpatrick | Liberal Democrats | 2023–27 | ||
| Debbie Hilal | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| John Leech | Liberal Democrats | 2022–26 | |||
| Old Moat | Garry Bridges | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Gavin White | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Suzannah Reeves | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Withington | Becky Chambers | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Chris Wills | Labour Co-op | 2021–24 | |||
| Angela Gartside | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Wythenshawe and Sale East constituency |
Baguley | Phil Brickell | Labour Co-op | 2023–27 | |
| Tracy Rawlins | Labour Co-op | 2021–24 | |||
| Paul Andrews | Labour Co-op | 2022–26 | |||
| Brooklands | Glynn Evans | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Dave Marsh | Labour | 2023–24[c] | |||
| Sue Cooley | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Northenden | Richard Fletcher | Labour | 2023–27 | ||
| Sam Lynch | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Angela Moran | Labour | 2022–26 | |||
| Sharston | Tim Whiston | Labour Co-op | 2023–27 | ||
| Emma Taylor | Labour | 2021–24 | |||
| Tommy Judge | Labour Co-op | 2022–26 | |||
| Woodhouse Park | Anastasia Wiest | Green | 2023–27 | ||
| Rob Nunney | Green | 2021–24 | |||
| Astrid Johnson | Green | 2022–26 | |||
^a Elected at a by-election in February 2022 to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Marcia Hutchinson.[34]
^b Elected as Labour but joined the Green party in July 2022[35]
^c Elected at a by-election in September 2023 to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Julia Baker Smith.[36]
References
- ^ "Council minutes, 18 May 2022" (PDF). Manchester City Council. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
- ^ "Council minutes, 1 December 2021" (PDF). Manchester City Council. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Manchester Population 2021 – UK Population Data". Retrieved 14 November 2021.
- ^ Frangopulo, Nicholas J. (1969). Rich inheritance: a guide to the history of Manchester. Wakefield: S.R. Publishers. pp. 59–72. ISBN 9780854095506. Reprinted by Manchester Education Committee (1962).
- ^ Citations:
- Staff writer (13 November 2008). "Supporting lesbian and gay staff in Manchester". Improvement and Development Agency. Archived from the original on 18 August 2011.
- Staff writer (2008). "LGBT History". Manchester City Council. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008.
- ^ Staff writer (8 May 2015). "Election 2015: Labour gains total control of Manchester City Council". BBC News. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ Fitzgerald, Todd (6 May 2016). "Manchester local election results 2016: John Leech ends Labour's total grip on the town hall". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
- ^ Williams, Jennifer (24 July 2019). "Manchester councillor suspended amid anti-semitism investigation". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ Timan, Joseph (16 October 2023). "Manchester councillor resigns from party over Labour leader's stance on Israel". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ Frangopulo, Nicholas J. (1969). Rich inheritance: a guide to the history of Manchester. Wakefield: S.R. Publishers. p. 59. ISBN 9780854095506.
p. II (note by W. H. Shercliff)
Reprinted by Manchester Education Committee (1962). - ^ Manchester Corporation v Manchester Palace of Varieties Ltd, P 133; [1955] 1 All ER 387
- ^ Squibb, G. D. (1997) [1959]. The High Court of Chivalry: a study of the civil law in England. Oxford New York: Clarendon Press Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198251408.
- ^ Williams, Jennifer (30 April 2013). "Manchester council threat to sue website over coat of arms". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
- ^ News Desk (17 October 2013). "New website header". Manchester Gazette. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
- ^ "Manchester City Council leader steps down after assault". BBC News. 14 April 2010.
- ^ Carter, Helen (14 April 2010). "Manchester council leader Richard Leese cautioned over stepdaughter assault". The Guardian. London.
- ^ "Manchester launches Housing First scheme as rough sleeping row erupts". The Big Issue. 14 February 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ Williams, Jennifer (12 February 2019). "'Aggressive' begging and public urination could soon be punished with £100 fines". men. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ Leech, John (12 February 2019). "I want to be absolutely crystal clear; Liberal Democrat councillors in Manchester will oppose this crap until the end of time". twitter.com. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ Williams, Jennifer (8 March 2019). "Manchester council meeting kicks off with blazing row over 'Lib Dem cuts' poster". men. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ "Jennifer Williams (@JenWilliamsMEN) – Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ Barlow, Nigel (8 March 2019). "Karnage at the council budget meeting". aboutmanchester.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ Henry Zeffman, Kate Devlin (15 April 2019). "Labour antisemitism: Israeli flag made party candidate 'feel sick'". Retrieved 19 April 2019 – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
- ^ Reporter, Jewish News. "Labour candidate 'sorry' for saying sight of Israeli flag made her 'feel sick'". jewishnews.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ "Labour candidate Jade Doswell apologises for saying Israeli flag made her feel 'sick'". www.thejc.com. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ^ "Labour councillor suspended in anti-Semitism investigation". BBC News. 25 July 2019.
- ^ Williams, Jennifer (24 July 2019). "Manchester councillor suspended amid anti-semitism investigation". Manchester Evening News.
- ^ Griffiths, Niall (26 March 2020). "City councillor quits Lib Dems after 'unacceptable' behaviour". Manchester Evening News.
- ^ Griffiths, Niall (20 March 2020). "Politicians' warning about 'irresponsible disinformation' about coronavirus". Manchester Evening News.
- ^ Williams, Jennifer (22 June 2020). "Manchester councillor suspended by Labour group over social media allegations". Manchester Evening News.
- ^ "Tweet". twitter.com. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ^ "All councillors". Manchester City Council. Government of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "Manchester councillor quits after racist bullying claim". BBC News. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
- ^ "We're delighted to announce that Hulme councillor @Ekua4Hulme has joined us from the Labour Party!". Manchester Green Party. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ "Labour win by-election in council seat so safe the Tory candidate didn't turn up". Manchester Evening News. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
Further reading
- McKechnie, H. M. (ed.) (1915) Manchester in Nineteen Hundred and Fifteen. Manchester U. P.; "Undertakings of the City Council; Social Amelioration in Manchester; Elementary Education in Manchester; Secondary Schools in Manchester; The Evening School System of Manchester", by E. D. Simon, et al.
- Manchester City Council. "Concilio et Labore" Series. No. 1-11. (Each pamphlet describes part of the council's work, e.g. no. 4: the City Treasurer.
- Redford, Arthur (1939) The History of City Government in Manchester; Vol. 2 & 3: Borough and City; The Last Half Century.
- Simon, Ernest D. (1926) A City Council from Within. London: Longmans, Green
- Simon, Shena D. (1938) A Century of City Government: Manchester 1838–1938. London: G. Allen & Unwin
- Tomlinson, H. E. (1943) "The Heraldry of Manchester" in: Bulletin of the John Rylands Library; vol. XXVIII, pp. 207–27
