Greater Manchester leaders concede talks to save region’s long-delayed development masterplan have finally run out of road

direct to your inbox The latest coronavirus infection rates for every local authority in England have been released.

direct to your inboxThe coronavirus infection rate for Greater Manchester has fallen again, raising hopes the region could be lifted out of Tier 3 restrictions.The latest figures show there were 153.4 positive tests in Greater Manchester for the week ending December 9 for every 100,000 people in the local population, down 7.7 per cent compared to the week before.It puts our region significantly lower than the infection rate for England, which has risen by 15 per cent to 172.8 over the same

direct to your inboxCoronavirus has brought heartache to thousands of families across Greater Manchester.More than 3,800 people have died in our region's hospitals alone. And tragically, this number is continuing to rise.Behind the Covid-19 death statistics that we publish each day are human beings who all had stories to tell.

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester now has a lower coronavirus infection rate than the average figure for England, the latest data shows.It's the first time the region-wide figure has dipped below the national average since May 1.The infection rate is expressed per 100, 000 people.The latest Public Health England (PHE) figures show the rate for the week ending December 8 was 151.3 per 100,000 people in Greater Manchester.It is below the average rate for England which currently stands at

direct to your inboxTwenty-six more people have died from coronavirus in Greater Manchester's hospitals.The region's hospital death toll has risen to 3,900, the latest NHS figures show.Nine more Covid-related deaths were recorded by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust in its 24 hour data.The trust runs the Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI), Wythenshawe Hospital, the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital and Saint Mary's hospital.Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust confirmed five new deaths.

direct to your inboxThe latest coronavirus infection rates demonstrate a widening gap between northern and southern boroughs in Greater Manchester.Public Health data from the week ending December 6 shows that boroughs which lie south of the city now have an infection rate lower than the national average.It comes as Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said the disparity in rates could see the conurbation split up into different tiers when the government come to review the system next week.He

Bolton sent a piece of paper to 12 artists from different parts of the country, in order to create a socially distanced piece of artwork. Ken Bromley Art Supplies, in Horwich, enlisted the help of talented artists from each region of the UK to create the collaborative piece.

direct to your inboxRochdale council has dropped its vote on the region's controversial ‘spatial framework’ masterplan, with one chief admitting the blueprint is now ‘dead’.Councillors were due to decide whether to sign up to the joint-strategy for housing and businesses at a meeting next week. It comes after elected members in Stockport voted against the long-term development plan, effectively killing it off in its intended 10-borough form.

direct to your inboxTrafford council’s vote on Greater Manchester’s development and employment masterplan has been dropped. Following neighbouring borough Stockport voting down the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework masterplan last week, Trafford council has decided ‘there is no point’ discussing the matter at its full meeting tomorrow night.

direct to your inboxEighteen more people have died from coronavirus in Greater Manchester's hospitals.The region's hospital death toll has now risen to 3,787, the latest NHS figures show.Thirteen new deaths were recorded at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, the organisation in charge of the Manchester Royal Infirmary, Wythenshawe Hospital, Saint Mary's and the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust confirmed four new deaths.

direct to your inboxTalks over the uncertain future of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) will continue, despite Stockport councillors voting against the proposals.Opposition groups argued that the long-delayed masterplan for jobs and housing favoured the needs of developers over residents, and would lead to unnecessary green belt development.Labour had hoped that by removing or scaling down schemes planned up to 2037, that it could appease Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, and the

direct to your inbox The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework appears to be dead - at least in the city-region spanning form it was originally intended - after Stockport councillors voted to reject the long-delayed masterplan.

direct to your inbox The latest coronavirus rates for each local authority in England over the last week have been revealed. Thursday's update of the rolling seven-day rate of new cases for the seven days to November 29 reveal which areas of the country are seeing reductions in infections - and the ones that are increasing.

What do you think? Have your say in our c omments section. Click here to join in the conversation... Mary Robinson, Conservative MP for Cheadle, described a 'borough by borough basis' as the right way forward, adding: "I'll continue to argue for this approach and that provisions are in place for our hospital to manage both Covid and winter pressures."Mr Wragg agrees, arguing that, although rates in Stockport are still high, they have dropped by a third in the last week - bolstering the case for

Bury and Radcliffe.

anger from residents this week about the decision to put the borough into Tier 3 restrictions when national lockdown ends.

Coronavirus infection rates are falling faster in Greater Manchester than at any time during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the latest data from Public Health England.The rate for the Greater Manchester region is now 246.9, the lowest it has been since the end of September.There were exactly 7000 confirmed cases in Greater Manchester for the week ending November 23, which is 3,796 fewer cases than in the previous week.That represents a week-on-week fall of 35.2 per cent, the highest

moving goalposts ', people are beginning to lose hope. Local DJ and music producer Liam Hyphen - a familiar face behind the decks at the city centre's nightlife hotspots - said: "It feels like I’m back at school and we’ve been put in detention for talking back to the teacher."I haven’t worked since March and probably won’t until well into next year by the looks of it."People are struggling financially and mentally.

The latest infection rates for Greater Manchester are:Oldham 366.9, down 31pcRochdale 342.2, down 32pcWigan 301.2, down 27pcBury 300.5, down 33pcBolton 294.6, down 32pcSalford 246.5, down 42pcManchester 245.3, down 32pcTameside 241.1, down 36pcStockport 204.5, down 36pcTrafford 169.4, down 45pcThe national average in England is 202.4 per 100,000 population.Trafford is the only Greater Manchester borough to sit below the national average with 169.4 per 100,000.There were 661 positive tests across

Manchester council has thrown its weight behind the beleaguered regional masterplan for jobs and housing - despite uncertainty over its future.With no end in sight to the political standoff in Stockport, plans to approve the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) have been postponed in Salford, Trafford, Oldham, Rochdale and Bury.Councillors in Manchester were told this week that there was a ‘very high risk’ that the GMSF would not get the support it needed.Under the proposals the city