Schools will suffer after Christmas says Andy Burnham, as government takes control of future closures

direct to your inboxA former police rep says any culture shift within Greater Manchester Police must start with the region’s mayor.Ian Hanson says Andy Burnham must deal directly with those delivering the service if the force is to make important changes after it was placed into ‘special measures’.Mr Hanson - who retired as GMP’s Federation chairman in 2018 - claims Mr Burnham met with him just once during his tenure.He has accused the mayor of “shouldering” responsibility for policing to his

direct to your inboxThe number of new Covid-19 hospital admissions in Greater Manchester is rising for the first time since mid-November, as the mayor warns the arrival of a potent new strain to the region is now ‘inevitable’.However Andy Burnham says he does not yet think the time is right for the conurbation to be placed into Tier 4 restrictions.He told this afternoon’s weekly press conference that infection rates here - which are up 1pc in the past week - are still ‘flatlining’ and argued the

direct to your inboxThe deputy mayor has expressed fears there could be a rise in illegal raves and house parties in Greater Manchester over the Christmas period.Beverley Hughes told a press conference led by Andy Burnham on Tuesday that there is intelligence to suggest the region 'could see a return' of the raves and parties seen over the summer.

direct to your inboxThis is the man who will take over the top job at Greater Manchester Police - for now - after the resignation today of chief constable Ian Hopkins.Ian Pilling, currently GMP's deputy chief constable, will 'step up' as the force's interim chief, the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said.Mr Burnham added he would set in motion the search for Mr Hopkins' permanent replacement in the new year, saying: "Now is the time for new leadership and a new era in our police

placed in ‘special measures’ following a damning inspection report. Greater Manchester’s Labour mayor previously said he was ‘confident’ that "in just a small number of days, significant progress has been made".A new complaints line for people who do not feel their crime report has been dealt with properly will be launched, as well as further recruitment to a new centralised crime recording unit, he said.

direct to your inboxThe mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has slammed the government’s decision to keep the region under the toughest coronavirus restrictions.Speaking on BBC Radio Manchester this afternoon, he said: “The average for all of Greater Manchester is lower than Liverpool and London when they went into tier 2.“I don’t think they’ve got the balance right at all here, so I understand the frustration, but let’s not take it out on the NHS.“We’ve got to follow those rules and it

direct to your inbox Andy Burnham has announced a new victim support hotline to take calls from people unhappy with the way Greater Manchester Police is dealing with their reported crime, in the wake of a blistering inspection report.

direct to your inboxGreater Manchester leaders have urged the government to base their review of tiering arrangements on what is happening in the north of England instead of the south.Mayor Andy Burnham remains confident that there is a case for all ten boroughs to come out of Tier 3 at once with Covid-19 infection rates falling by 20 per cent since December 2.However he admitted ahead of the government’s announcement tomorrow that it was ‘more borderline’ in boroughs where rates remain above

direct to your inbox If Andy Burnham’s year opened with a lot of noise around the police, in the form of his report into the calamitous 2004 Operation Augusta investigation, it now seems to be closing in the same vein - albeit in the form of a less politically flattering story. Thursday’s verdict from Her Majesty’s policing Inspectorate on Greater Manchester Police’s current performance is a much harder sell than the mayor’s own historic inquiry into child sexual exploitation.

direct to your inboxAndy Burnham has responded to Priti Patel's letter detailing her concerns about a damning report into Greater Manchester Police. The Home Secretary wrote to both Mr Burnham and GMP to express ‘deep’ concerns about the findings of the inspection report into the force - and to demand their plans for improvement.

direct to your inbox The Home Secretary has written to both Andy Burnham and Greater Manchester Police to express ‘deep’ concerns about the findings of a damning inspection report into the force - and to demand their plans for improvement.

direct to your inboxAndy Burnham is planning to freeze the element of council tax bills that pays for mayoral functions next April.The precept - which is used for a number of Greater Manchester-level purposes, including part-funding the fire service and mayoral priorities such as free bus passes for young people - will stay as it is under proposals that will go before council leaders in the New Year.That would see the mayoral charge stay at £70.73 for a Band B property.Last April, the precept

direct to your inboxCalls have been made for almost £2bn in business rates relief handed back by major retailers to be used to help millions of workers excluded from financial aid during the Covid-19 pandemic.Supermarket chains Tesco, Asda, Aldi, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, and B&M have agreed to repay a combined £1.8bn tax break funded through the public purse.Tesco chairman John Allan said the company was ‘conscious of our responsibilities to society’ and hoped the money would go to businesses and

The government took into account the potential economic impact on the capital in sparing London from tough Tier 3 restrictions.But the same analysis wasn't applied to Manchester and the rest of the country.That's according to furious Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham who described the alleged differing approach as 'unacceptable' as MPs prepare for a key vote in Parliament today (Tuesday).Last week Boris Johnson's government announced that Greater Manchester would be placed in the toughest

including Greater Manchester where cases are falling rapidly.Michael Gove was reportedly among those arguing London should be under the strictest measures due to the high infection rate in several boroughs.The M.E.N has attempted to contact Downing Street for confirmation that the cabinet received a briefing note on potential job losses in London and whether similar impact assessments were made of other regions.So far, we have had no response.The Mayor Andy Burnham tweeted the Mail's story and

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The Mayor’s A Bed Every Night homelessness reduction scheme is being extended after a charity warned numbers seeking help have rocketed during the pandemic.With ‘at least’ 40 new rooms added to the scheme in time for the winter, £663,000 has also been pledged to support young people at risk of homelessness and to tackle the causes that could see people ‘slip through the net’.Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, announced the expansion of his flagship scheme using cash from his mayoral

Andy Burnham wants Greater Manchester to be moved into Tier 2 within a fortnight if the region's coronavirus infection rate continues to fall.The Mayor was reacting to the government's decision to place the region in Tier 3, the highest category of restrictions under the new system due to take effect on December 2.It means all hospitality venues will have to stay closed except for takeaway and delivery services.Other areas with high infection rates, including Liverpool and London, have been