Andy Burnham's plan to freeze mayoral tax on Greater Manchester residents approved by regional leaders

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester’s coronavirus infection rate is falling faster than in England as a whole.The rate of 105.4 cases per 100,000 population in the week ending March 2 is still higher than the national average of 69.9.But here the rate is down 37 per cent in the last week, according to the latest data from Public Health England.A total of 2,989 people tested positive for coronavirus across the conurbation in the week ending March 2.That’s 1,769 less cases than in the previous

direct to your inbox Bolton continues to have the highest coronavirus infection rate in Greater Manchester, the latest figures show.

direct to your inboxEvery local authority in Greater Manchester is preparing to raise council tax bills from April to keep services running despite the financial impact of Covid-19.The budgets of town halls across the city-region have been hit hard by the pandemic, with some councils having to plug huge gaps in their finances.While the government has paid out millions of pounds in emergency funding to councils, their leaders say the money does not go far enough.The government has also allowed

coronavirus infection rate in Greater Manchester, the latest figures show.

direct to your inboxAndy Burnham has described Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Budget as a ‘packet of Polos’ boasting some ‘refreshing’ economic ideas - but with many policy-shaped holes.The mayor of Greater Manchester welcomed the extension of the furlough scheme, the Universal Credit uplift and grants for self-employed workers until September.The continuation of cuts to VAT and stamp duty, as well as a longer business rates holiday, were also seen as positive measures for the country’s post-pandemic

direct to your inboxWeaknesses in support for low-paid people who need to self-isolate risk both the government’s Covid-19 roadmap and Greater Manchester’s place within it, Andy Burnham has warned.The mayor said he had hoped government would strengthen the system as part of today’s Budget, but in the event, it was not mentioned.

straight to your inbox every day for freeAndy Cole has warned that Manchester United will have to offer something more than name recognition if they want to entice Erling Haaland to Old Trafford.United have already missed out on Haaland once, with the Norwegian forward opting to move to Borussia Dortmund from RB Salzburg in January 2020, but they retain an interest in him thanks to his links with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after the two worked together at Molde.

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Around 10 years ago, Bryan Blears walked out on his life.A failed relationship and depression had culminated in him dropping out of his law degree at Manchester University.He decided to pack it all in and embark on a new adventure - travelling to Europe and western Asia.As he left his Salford home, he told his family he was going on holiday for two weeks.But he didn't return for a year.His journey, in which he slept rough, lived on less than a pound a day and was spooked by a pack of wolves, was

direct to your inbox More than 5,500 people have died in Greater Manchester's hospitals alone after contracting coronavirus. And tragically, this number continues to rise everyday.

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has described harrowing body cam footage of an 'unlawfully killed' father begging to be freed as he was restrained by Metrolink-contracted staff as "one of the most distressing things you could see."He expressed sympathy to the friends and family of Jack Barnes, 29, who was pinned down outside Australasia restaurant on Deansgate in Manchester city centre.The dad-of-one had been involved in an altercation with staff at Victoria Station,

direct to your inboxThe coronavirus infection rate has gone up in two Greater Manchester boroughs for the first time in six weeks.The number of positive tests went up in Trafford and Stockport for the week ending February 22.It is the first time either area has seen an upward trend in cases since January 10.The infection rate also rose in a third borough, Bury, which currently has the highest infection rate in Greater Manchester, with 217.8 cases per 100,000 people.Stockport recorded 555 cases

direct to your inboxBus and taxi drivers and teachers over the age of 50 should be given Covid jabs at the half-empty mass vaccination centre at the Etihad, say local leaders.Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, has repeated calls on the government to give local authorities greater flexibility over how to use spare capacity at the site.Covid jabs are said to be ‘sitting in fridges’ as people belonging to the four groups on the government's vaccine priority list are waiting to be called

Get the latest updates from across Greater Manchester direct to your inbox with the free MEN newsletterYou can sign up very simply by following the instructions hereLocal authority: 7-day total cases in week ending February 17 (increase on previous week) 1. Doncaster: 648 cases (+63) 2. Tameside: 469 cases (+51) 3.

direct to your inboxCoronavirus has brought heartache to thousands of families across Greater Manchester.More than 5,200 people have died in our region's hospitals alone. And tragically, this number is continuing to rise.

direct to your inboxHundreds of people have called a helpline for crime victims unhappy with how Greater Manchester Police has handled their cases.The crime support line was established by mayor Andy Burnham after the force failed to record 80,000 crimes in a year - including one in four violent crimes.But the helpline will be closed down from tomorrow (Friday February 19) due to a ‘very low number’ of new callers in recent weeks.There have been 240 calls to the helpline since it launched in

direct to your inboxThe NHS has confirmed the deaths of 18 more patients in hospitals in Greater Manchester who had tested positive for coronavirus.Nationally, a further 309 hospital deaths were reported on Thursday.Of those, 42 were in hospitals in the north west region.Six further deaths have been recorded at Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, with five more at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust.Three further deaths were recorded at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust and at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh

direct to your inboxA 'very large' yoga gathering held in breach of coronavirus restrictions was broken up and a £10,000 Covid-19 fine issued, civic leaders have revealed.The gathering in Stockport was revealed today by the region's deputy mayor, Bev Hughes.No exact location - or other details - were revealed.It's not known whether the gathering was held indoors or outside.But Ms Hughes, speaking during an update on the pandemic situation across Greater Manchester hosted by mayor Andy Burnham,

was found dead after sleeping rough in the doorway of Marks and Spencer in Manchester city centre.

direct to your inboxThe Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester held a closed meeting with Trafford council this week to discuss policing, following the city-region’s police force being placed into special measures.The meeting came after local calls for Mayor Andy Burnham to set out an action plan to bring Greater Manchester Police ‘up to scratch’ in Trafford.Conservative members of the council criticised the fact that the meeting was held in private and felt members of the public,