Manchester City Region
Encyclopedia
The Greater Manchester Statutory City Region (sometimes called the Greater Manchester City Region or more commonly as the Manchester City Region) is a pilot administrative division
of England
, coterminous with the metropolitan county
of Greater Manchester
. It is under the strategic governance of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority
.
The Manchester City Region initially appeared as one of eight city region
s defined in the 2004 strategic document Moving Forward: The Northern Way
, as a collaboration between three regional development agencies
. It encompassed the ten districts of Greater Manchester and five neighbouring local government districts, and was suggested as an effective administrative metropolitan area
that could share resources and stimulate economic growth in northern England. In the late 2000s, the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) began actively lobbying for a statutory local government framework for the Manchester City Region in exchange for greater autonomy from the UK central government. They used the term 'Manchester City Region' as a synonym for 'Greater Manchester' (a metropolitan county), and excluded neighbouring districts. Following the 2009 United Kingdom Budget
, the city region—abridged to the ten districts of Greater Manchester—was announced as a pilot region which could establish a formal corporate strategic government with powers comparable with the Greater London Authority
. AGMA agreed to the creation of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority in March 2010; on 1 April 2011 the combined authority was established.
in 2004, through to the 2009 structural changes to local government in England
, the Manchester City Region encompassed fifteen local government districts: the cities of Manchester and Salford
plus the adjoining metropolitan borough
s of Stockport
, Tameside
and Trafford
to the south and Bolton
, Bury
, Oldham
, Rochdale
and Wigan
to the north, together with High Peak, Warrington
and the former boroughs of Congleton
, Macclesfield
and Vale Royal
. The inclusion of these five areas added 656,355 inhabitants to the 2,562,200 already in Greater Manchester
creating a city region of 3,218,555 using figures from the United Kingdom Census 2001
.
Since the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities has used the term 'Manchester City Region' as a synonym for Greater Manchester
, describing it as "a highly coherent single economic region", with reference to the "ten districts of the city region". AGMA have published that in their literature "‘Manchester’ and ‘city region’ are used to refer to Greater Manchester, which is the ten local authority Districts of Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Manchester, Rochdale, Stockport, Salford, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan".
The Greater Manchester Statutory City Region was announced in the 2009 United Kingdom Budget
as one of two such pilot city regions in the UK (the other being the Leeds City Region
). Once created, it saw the ten metropolitan borough councils of Greater Manchester banding together as a combined authority to pool resources over skills, housing, transport and economic development, in exchange for greater powers from the UK central government.
Administrative division
An administrative division, subnational entity, or country subdivision is a portion of a country or other political division, established for the purpose of government. Administrative divisions are each granted a certain degree of autonomy, and are required to manage themselves through their own...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, coterminous with the metropolitan county
Metropolitan county
The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level administrative division of England. There are six metropolitan counties, which each cover large urban areas, typically with populations of 1.2 to 2.8 million...
of Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
. It is under the strategic governance of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority
Greater Manchester Combined Authority
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority is the top-tier administrative body for the local governance of Greater Manchester, England. The combined authority was established on 1 April 2011 and consists of ten indirectly elected members, each a directly elected councillor from one of the ten...
.
The Manchester City Region initially appeared as one of eight city region
City region (United Kingdom)
A city region is a pilot administrative division currently being developed in England.-Background:City region is a concept used by economists and urban planners to denote a metropolitan area and its hinterland, usually divided administratively but with shared resources and markets...
s defined in the 2004 strategic document Moving Forward: The Northern Way
The Northern Way
The Northern Way is a 20 year British governmental strategy to transform the economy of the North of England. It aims to bridge a £30 billion output gap between the North and the average for England....
, as a collaboration between three regional development agencies
Regional Development Agency
In the United Kingdom, a regional development agency is a non-departmental public body established for the purpose of development, primarily economic, of one of England's Government Office regions. There is one RDA for each of the NUTS level 1 regions of England...
. It encompassed the ten districts of Greater Manchester and five neighbouring local government districts, and was suggested as an effective administrative metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
that could share resources and stimulate economic growth in northern England. In the late 2000s, the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) began actively lobbying for a statutory local government framework for the Manchester City Region in exchange for greater autonomy from the UK central government. They used the term 'Manchester City Region' as a synonym for 'Greater Manchester' (a metropolitan county), and excluded neighbouring districts. Following the 2009 United Kingdom Budget
2009 United Kingdom Budget
The 2009 United Kingdom Budget, officially known as Budget 2009: Building Britain's Future, was formally delivered by Alistair Darling in the House of Commons on 22 April 2009...
, the city region—abridged to the ten districts of Greater Manchester—was announced as a pilot region which could establish a formal corporate strategic government with powers comparable with the Greater London Authority
Greater London Authority
The Greater London Authority is the top-tier administrative body for Greater London, England. It consists of a directly elected executive Mayor of London, currently Boris Johnson, and an elected 25-member London Assembly with scrutiny powers...
. AGMA agreed to the creation of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority in March 2010; on 1 April 2011 the combined authority was established.
History
Between the publication of the Moving Forward: The Northern WayThe Northern Way
The Northern Way is a 20 year British governmental strategy to transform the economy of the North of England. It aims to bridge a £30 billion output gap between the North and the average for England....
in 2004, through to the 2009 structural changes to local government in England
2009 structural changes to local government in England
Structural changes to local government in England were effected on 1 April 2009, whereby a number of new unitary authorities were created in parts of the country which previously operated a 'two-tier' system of counties and districts...
, the Manchester City Region encompassed fifteen local government districts: the cities of Manchester and Salford
City of Salford
The City of Salford is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Salford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Eccles, Swinton-Pendlebury, Walkden and Irlam which apart from Irlam each have a population of over...
plus the adjoining metropolitan borough
Metropolitan borough
A metropolitan borough is a type of local government district in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted...
s of Stockport
Metropolitan Borough of Stockport
The Metropolitan Borough of Stockport is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in north west England, centred around the town of Stockport. It has a population of about 280,600 and includes the outyling areas of Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme, Marple, Bredbury, Reddish and Romiley...
, Tameside
Tameside
The Metropolitan Borough of Tameside is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. It is named after the River Tame which flows through the borough and spans the towns of Ashton-under-Lyne, Audenshaw, Denton, Droylsden, Dukinfield, Hyde, Mossley and Stalybridge. Its western...
and Trafford
Trafford
The Metropolitan Borough of Trafford is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It has a population of 211,800, covers , and includes the towns of Altrincham, Partington, Sale, Stretford, and Urmston...
to the south and Bolton
Metropolitan Borough of Bolton
The Metropolitan Borough of Bolton is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Bolton, but covers a far larger area which includes Blackrod, Farnworth, Horwich, Kearsley and Westhoughton, and a suburban and rural element from the West Pennine...
, Bury
Metropolitan Borough of Bury
The Metropolitan Borough of Bury is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. Lying to the north of the City of Manchester, the borough is composed of six towns: Bury, Ramsbottom, Tottington, Radcliffe, Whitefield and Prestwich, and has a population of 181,900...
, Oldham
Metropolitan Borough of Oldham
The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It has a population of 219,600, and spans . The borough is named after its largest town, Oldham, but also includes the outlying towns of Chadderton, Failsworth, Royton and Shaw and Crompton, the village of...
, Rochdale
Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale
The Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. It is named after its largest town, Rochdale, but spans a far larger area which includes the towns of Middleton, Heywood, Littleborough and Milnrow, and the village of Wardle.The borough was...
and Wigan
Metropolitan Borough of Wigan
The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. It is named after its largest component town, Wigan and also includes the towns of Leigh, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Ince-in-Makerfield, and Hindley. The borough was formed in 1974 and is an...
to the north, together with High Peak, Warrington
Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
and the former boroughs of Congleton
Congleton (borough)
Congleton was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district with borough status in Cheshire, England. It included the towns of Congleton, Alsager, Holmes Chapel, Middlewich and Sandbach...
, Macclesfield
Macclesfield (borough)
Macclesfield was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district with borough status in Cheshire, England. It included the towns of Bollington, Knutsford, Macclesfield and Wilmslow and within its wider area the villages and hamlets of Adlington, Disley, Gawsworth, Kerridge, Pott Shrigley, Poynton,...
and Vale Royal
Vale Royal
Vale Royal was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district with borough status in Cheshire, England. It contained the towns of Northwich, Winsford and Frodsham.-Creation:...
. The inclusion of these five areas added 656,355 inhabitants to the 2,562,200 already in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
creating a city region of 3,218,555 using figures from the United Kingdom Census 2001
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
.
Since the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities has used the term 'Manchester City Region' as a synonym for Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, describing it as "a highly coherent single economic region", with reference to the "ten districts of the city region". AGMA have published that in their literature "‘Manchester’ and ‘city region’ are used to refer to Greater Manchester, which is the ten local authority Districts of Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Manchester, Rochdale, Stockport, Salford, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan".
The Greater Manchester Statutory City Region was announced in the 2009 United Kingdom Budget
2009 United Kingdom Budget
The 2009 United Kingdom Budget, officially known as Budget 2009: Building Britain's Future, was formally delivered by Alistair Darling in the House of Commons on 22 April 2009...
as one of two such pilot city regions in the UK (the other being the Leeds City Region
Leeds City Region
The Leeds City Region is the area whose economic development is supported by the Leeds City Region Partnership, a sub-regional economic development partnership...
). Once created, it saw the ten metropolitan borough councils of Greater Manchester banding together as a combined authority to pool resources over skills, housing, transport and economic development, in exchange for greater powers from the UK central government.
See also
- Greater Manchester Combined AuthorityGreater Manchester Combined AuthorityThe Greater Manchester Combined Authority is the top-tier administrative body for the local governance of Greater Manchester, England. The combined authority was established on 1 April 2011 and consists of ten indirectly elected members, each a directly elected councillor from one of the ten...
- Greater Manchester County CouncilGreater Manchester County CouncilThe Greater Manchester County Council — also known as the Greater Manchester Council — was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater Manchester from 1974 to 1986...
(1974-1986)