Editing Greater Manchester (section)

==History==
{{See also|History of Manchester}}

===Britons===
Although Greater Manchester was not created until 1974, the history of its settlements go back centuries. There is evidence of [[Iron Age]] habitation, particularly at [[Mellor, Greater Manchester|Mellor]],{{sfn|Nevell|Redhead|2005|p=20}} and a known [[Celtic Britons]] settlement named [[Chochion]], believed to have been an area of [[Wigan]] settled by the [[Brigantes]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Roman Wigan |url=http://www.wiganarchsoc.co.uk/how.html#Roman |author=Adrian Morris |publisher=Wigan Archaeological Society |access-date=10 July 2008 |archive-date=18 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218063740/http://www.wiganarchsoc.co.uk/how.html#Roman |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Stretford]] was also part of the land believed to have been occupied by the Celtic Brigantes tribe, and lay on their border with the [[Cornovii (Midlands)|Cornovii]] on the southern side of the [[River Mersey]].{{sfn|Bayliss|1996|p=6}} The remains of 1st-century [[castra|forts]] at [[Castlefield]] in Manchester,<ref>{{PastScape|desc=Mamucium Roman fort |num=76731 |access-date=29 December 2007}}</ref> and [[Castleshaw Roman Fort]] in [[Saddleworth]],<ref>{{PastScape |desc=Castle Shaw |num=45891 |access-date=29 December 2007}}</ref> are evidence of [[Roman Britain|Roman occupation]]. 
<!--Gap which can be filled by post Roman Britons, Angles and Vikings-->

===Salfordshire===
{{main|Salford Hundred}}
[[File:Greater Manchester (ancient).png|thumb|right|Greater Manchester lies at the conjunction of the [[Historic counties of England|ancient county boundaries]] of [[Cheshire]], Lancashire and the [[West Riding of Yorkshire]].]]
From the River Mersey to [[River Ribble]] was recorded as an area surveyed with [[Cheshire]] in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086; it is thought that the area was partially surveyed.{{sfn|Hartwell|Hyde|Pevsner|2004|p=18|ps=, quoting Redhead, Norman}}

Between [[Lancashire]]'s creation to the 18th century an ancient division of the shire, with a similar but smaller area to the current county, was known as [[Salford (hundred)|Salfordshire]]. The division (a [[wapentake]] which later became a hundred) had several parishes, [[Township (England)|townships]] and market towns. Other areas of what would become the county centuries later, to south of the Mersey and [[River Tame, Greater Manchester|Tame]], were governed under Cheshire while the Saddleworth area and a small part of [[Mossley]] are historically part of [[Yorkshire]]. [[Ludworth, Greater Manchester|Ludworth]] and [[Mellor, Greater Manchester|Mellor]] were historically in [[Derbyshire]], but were transferred to Cheshire in 1936.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ministry of Health Provisional Order Confirmation (Chester and Derby) Act 1936 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo5and1Edw8/26/10/pdfs/ukla_19360010_en.pdf |website=legislation.gov.uk |publisher=The National Archives |access-date=17 February 2025 |page=44}}</ref>

===Manchesterthum===
[[File:Weavers' cottages, Wardle.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Former [[weavers' cottage]]s in [[Wardle, Greater Manchester|Wardle]]. An increase in [[domestic system|domestic]] cloth production, and [[Textile manufacture during the British Industrial Revolution|textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution]] is attributed to a population boom in the area.]]
In the late 18th to early 19th century, the [[Industrial Revolution]] transformed the local domestic system; mechanisation enabled the [[industrialisation]] of the region's textile trade, triggering rapid growth in the [[cotton]] industry and expansion in ancillary trades.<ref name=con/> The area became central to England's woollen trade with [[domestic system|domestic]] [[flannel]] and [[fustian]] cloth production, which encouraged a system of cross-regional trade.{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=ix}}{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|pp=24–25}}{{sfn|McNeil|Nevell|2000|pp=1–3}} In the 18th century, German traders had coined the name ''Manchesterthum'' to cover the region in and around Manchester.{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=268}}

Infrastructure such as rows of terraced housing, factories and roads were constructed to house labour, transport goods, and [[Textile manufacture during the British Industrial Revolution|produce cotton goods on an industrial scale]] for a global market.<ref name=con/>{{sfn|McNeil|Nevell|2000|pp=1–3}} The townships in and around Manchester began expanding "at an astonishing rate" around the turn of the 19th century as part of a process of unplanned urbanisation brought on by a boom in industrial textile production and processing.{{sfn|Aspin|1981|p=3}} This population increase resulted in the "vigorous concentric growth" of a conurbation between Manchester and an arc of surrounding [[mill town]]s, formed from a steady accretion of houses, factories and transport infrastructure.{{sfn|Carter|1962|p=49}} Places such as [[Bury, Greater Manchester|Bury]], [[Oldham]] and [[Bolton]] played a central economic role nationally, and by the end of the 19th century had become some of the most important and productive cotton-producing towns in the world.{{sfn|Cowhig|1976|pp=7–9}} However, it was Manchester that was the most populous settlement, a major city, the world's largest marketplace for cotton goods,{{sfn|Kidd|2006|pp=12,15–24, 224}}<ref name=Hall>{{cite book |last=Hall |first=Peter |title=Cities in Civilization |publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson |year=1998 |isbn=0-297-84219-6 |chapter=The first industrial city: Manchester 1760–1830 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/citiesinciviliza00hall}}</ref> and the natural centre of its region.{{sfn|Schofield|2003|pp=34–35}} By 1835 "Manchester was without challenge the first and greatest industrial city in the world";<ref name=Hall/> and by 1848 [[urban sprawl]] had fused the city to its surrounding towns and hinterland to form a single continuous conurbation.{{sfn|Carter|1962|p=49}} The area is recorded in planning documents for the [[Manchester Ship Canal]] dated 1883, as "Manchester, Salford and the Out-Townships".<ref name=what>{{cite web |url=https://www.urbinfomanc.com/post/what-is-manchester-and-how-big-is-it |publisher=urbinfomanc.com |date=26 May 2020 |first=Ed |last=Howe |title=What is Manchester, and how big is it? |access-date=1 July 2020 |archive-date=1 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701220528/https://www.urbinfomanc.com/post/what-is-manchester-and-how-big-is-it |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The conurbation was "a Victorian metropolis, achieving its commercial peak during 1890–1915".{{sfn|Roberts|Thomas|Williams|2014|p=112}} In the 1910s, local government reforms to administer this conurbation as a single entity were proposed.{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=226}} Use in a municipal context appeared in a 1914 report submitted in response to what was considered to have been the successful creation of the [[County of London]] in 1889.{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=226}} The report suggested that a county should be set up to recognise the "Manchester known in commerce", and referred to the areas that formed "a substantial part of South Lancashire and part of Cheshire, comprising all municipal boroughs and minor authorities within a radius of eight or nine miles of Manchester".{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=226}}<ref>{{cite book |author=Swarbrick, J. |date=February 1914 |title=Greater Manchester: The Future Municipal Government of Large Cities |publisher=Institution of Municipal and County Engineers |pages=12–15}}</ref>

In his 1915 book ''Cities in Evolution'', urban planner [[Patrick Geddes|Sir Patrick Geddes]] wrote "far more than Lancashire realises, is growing up another Greater London".{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=229}}
The ''[[Manchester Evening Chronicle]]'' brought to the fore the issue of "regional unity" for the area in April 1935 under the headline "Greater Manchester&nbsp;– The Ratepayers' Salvation". It reported on the "increasing demands for the exploration of the possibilities of a greater merger of [[public service]]s throughout Manchester and the surrounding municipalities".{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=227}} The issue was frequently discussed by civic leaders in the area at that time, particularly those from Manchester and [[County Borough of Salford|Salford]]. The Mayor of Salford pledged his support to the idea, stating that he looked forward to the day when "there would be a merging of the essential services of Manchester, Salford, and the surrounding districts constituting Greater Manchester."{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=227}} Proposals were halted by the [[Second World War]], though in the decade after it, the pace of proposals for local government reform for the area quickened.{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=228}} In 1947, [[Lancashire County Council]] proposed a three "[[Riding (division)|ridings]]" system to meet the changing needs of the county of Lancashire, including those for Manchester and surrounding districts.{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=228}} Other proposals included the creation of a Manchester County Council, a directly elected regional body. In 1951, the [[census in the United Kingdom|census in the UK]] began reporting on South East Lancashire as a homogeneous conurbation.{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=228}}

===SELNEC===
{{Further|Redcliffe-Maud Report}}
The [[Local Government Act 1958]] designated the south east Lancashire area (which, despite its name, included part of north east Cheshire), a Special Review Area. The [[Local Government Commission for England (1958–1967)|Local Government Commission for England]] presented draft recommendations, in December 1965, proposing a new county based on the conurbation surrounding and including Manchester, with nine most-purpose boroughs corresponding to the modern Greater Manchester boroughs (excluding Wigan). The review was abolished in favour of the Royal Commission on Local Government before issuing a final report.{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=231}}

The Royal Commission's 1969 report, known as the Redcliffe-Maud Report, proposed the removal of much of the then existing system of local government. The commission described the system of administering [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|urban]] and [[rural district]]s separately as outdated, noting that urban areas provided employment and services for rural dwellers, and open countryside was used by town dwellers for recreation. The commission considered interdependence of areas at many levels, including travel-to-work, provision of services, and which local newspapers were read, before proposing a new administrative [[metropolitan area]].{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=234}} The area had roughly the same northern boundary as today's Greater Manchester (though included [[Borough of Rossendale|Rossendale]]), but covered much more territory from Cheshire (including [[Macclesfield]], [[Warrington]], [[Alderley Edge]], [[Northwich]], [[Middlewich]], [[Wilmslow]] and [[Lymm]]), and Derbyshire (the towns of [[New Mills]], [[Whaley Bridge]], [[Glossop]] and [[Chapel-en-le-Frith]] – a minority report suggested that [[Buxton]] be included).{{sfn|Redcliffe-Maud|1969|pp=219–235}} The metropolitan area was to be divided into nine metropolitan districts, based on Wigan, Bolton, Bury/Rochdale, Warrington, Manchester (including Salford and Old Trafford), Oldham, Altrincham, Stockport and Tameside.{{sfn|Redcliffe-Maud|1969|pp=219–235}} The report noted "The choice even of a label of convenience for this metropolitan area is difficult".{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=233}} Seven years earlier, a survey prepared for the [[British Science Association|British Association]] intended to define the "South-East Lancashire conurbation" noted that "Greater Manchester it is not&nbsp;... One of its main characteristics is the marked individuality of its towns,&nbsp;... all of which have an industrial and commercial history of more than local significance".{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=264}} The term ''Selnec'' (or ''SELNEC'') was already in use as an abbreviation for south east Lancashire and north east Cheshire; Redcliffe-Maud took this as "the most convenient term available", having modified it to south east Lancashire, north east and central Cheshire.{{sfn|Redcliffe-Maud|1969|pp=219–235}}
[[File:Greater Manchester - geograph.org.uk - 2948057.jpg|thumb|The multiple urban areas of Greater Manchester's boroughs]]

Following the [[Transport Act 1968]], in 1969 the [[Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive|SELNEC Passenger Transport Executive]] (an authority to co-ordinate and operate public transport in the region) was set up, covering an area smaller than the proposed Selnec, and different again to the eventual Greater Manchester. Compared with the Redcliffe-Maud area, it excluded Macclesfield, Warrington, and Knutsford but included Glossop in [[Derbyshire]] and [[Saddleworth]] in the [[West Riding of Yorkshire]]. It excluded Wigan, which was both in the Redcliffe-Maud area and in the eventual Greater Manchester (but had not been part of the 1958 act's review area).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.selnec.org.uk/selnec.htm |publisher=selnec.org.uk |author=The SELNEC Preservation Society |title=The Formation of the SELNEC PTE |access-date=6 July 2008 |archive-date=20 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820183032/http://www.selnec.org.uk/selnec.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>

Redcliffe-Maud's recommendations were accepted by the Labour-controlled government in February 1970.{{sfn|Redcliffe-Maud|Wood|1975|pp=46–47, 56, 157}} Although the Redcliffe-Maud Report was rejected by the Conservative government after the [[1970 United Kingdom general election|1970 general election]], there was a commitment to local government reform, and the need for a metropolitan county centred on the conurbation surrounding Manchester was accepted. The new government's original proposal was much smaller than the Redcliffe-Maud Report's Selnec, with areas such as Winsford, Northwich, Knutsford, Macclesfield and Glossop retained by their original counties to ensure their [[county council]]s had enough revenue to remain competitive ([[Cheshire County Council]] would have ceased to exist).{{sfn|Redcliffe-Maud|Wood|1975|pp=46–47, 56, 157}} Other late changes included the separation of the proposed Bury/Rochdale authority (retained from the Redcliffe-Maud report) into the [[Metropolitan Borough of Bury]] and the [[Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale]]. Bury and Rochdale were originally planned to form a single district (dubbed "Botchdale" by local MP [[Michael Fidler]])<ref>{{cite hansard |house=House of Commons |date=6 July 1972|column_start=763|column_end=834}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Lancashire saved from 'Botchdale' |work=The Times |date=7 July 1972 |page=8}}</ref> but were divided into separate boroughs. To re-balance the districts, the borough of Rochdale took [[Middleton, Greater Manchester|Middleton]] from Oldham.<ref>{{cite news |title=Philosophy on councils has yet to emerge |work=The Times |date=8 July 1972 |page=2}}</ref> During the passage of the bill, the towns of [[Whitworth, Lancashire|Whitworth]], Wilmslow and [[Poynton]] successfully objected to their incorporation in the new county.{{sfn|Redcliffe-Maud|Wood|1975|pp=46–47, 56, 157}}
{| class="wikitable" style="border:0; text-align:left; line-height:150%;"
! colspan="2" |[[Local Government Act 1972|Post-1974]]<ref name=lga1972/>
! colspan="4" |[[Local Government Act 1888|Pre-1974]]
|-
! Metropolitan county
! Metropolitan borough
! [[County borough]]s
! [[Municipal borough]]s
! [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|Urban districts]]
! Parts of [[rural district]]s ([[civil parishes in England|civil parish]]es)
|-
|rowspan=10| [[File:Greater Manchester County (3).png|400px]]<br />{{center|Greater Manchester is an amalgamation of 70 former local government districts, including eight county boroughs and 16 municipal boroughs.<ref name="GM Gazetteer"/>}}
| [[Metropolitan Borough of Bury|Bury]]
| [[County Borough of Bury|Bury]]
| [[Municipal Borough of Prestwich|Prestwich]]&nbsp;• [[Municipal Borough of Radcliffe|Radcliffe]]
| [[Ramsbottom Urban District|Ramsbottom]]&nbsp;• [[Tottington Urban District|Tottington]]&nbsp;• [[Whitefield Urban District|Whitefield]]
|
|-
| [[Metropolitan Borough of Bolton|Bolton]]
| [[County Borough of Bolton|Bolton]]
| [[Municipal Borough of Farnworth|Farnworth]]
| [[Blackrod Urban District|Blackrod]]&nbsp;• [[Horwich Urban District|Horwich]]&nbsp;• [[Kearsley Urban District|Kearsley]]&nbsp;• [[Little Lever Urban District|Little Lever]]&nbsp;• [[Turton Urban District|Turton]]&nbsp;• [[Westhoughton Urban District|Westhoughton]]
|
|-
| [[Manchester]]
| [[County Borough of Manchester|Manchester]]
|
|
| [[Bucklow Rural District|Bucklow]] ([[Ringway, Greater Manchester|Ringway]])<ref name="BucklowMacclesfield"/>
|-
| [[Metropolitan Borough of Oldham|Oldham]]
| [[County Borough of Oldham|Oldham]]
|
| [[Chadderton Urban District|Chadderton]]&nbsp;• [[Crompton Urban District|Crompton]]&nbsp;• [[Failsworth Urban District|Failsworth]]&nbsp;• [[Lees Urban District|Lees]]&nbsp;• [[Royton Urban District|Royton]]&nbsp;• [[Saddleworth Urban District|Saddleworth]]
|
|-
| [[Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale|Rochdale]]
| [[County Borough of Rochdale|Rochdale]]
| [[Municipal Borough of Middleton|Middleton]]&nbsp;• [[Municipal Borough of Heywood|Heywood]]
| [[Littleborough Urban District|Littleborough]]&nbsp;• [[Milnrow Urban District|Milnrow]]&nbsp;• [[Wardle Urban District|Wardle]]
|
|-
| [[City of Salford|Salford]]
| [[County Borough of Salford|Salford]]
| [[Municipal Borough of Eccles|Eccles]]&nbsp;• [[Swinton and Pendlebury]]
| [[Irlam Urban District|Irlam]]&nbsp;• [[Worsley Urban District|Worsley]]
|
|-
| [[Metropolitan Borough of Stockport|Stockport]]
| [[County Borough of Stockport|Stockport]]
|
| [[Bredbury and Romiley]]&nbsp;• [[Cheadle and Gatley]]&nbsp;• [[Hazel Grove and Bramhall]]&nbsp;• [[Marple Urban District|Marple]]
|
|-
| [[Tameside]]
|
| [[Municipal Borough of Ashton-under-Lyne|Ashton-under-Lyne]]&nbsp;• [[Municipal Borough of Dukinfield|Dukinfield]]&nbsp;• [[Municipal Borough of Hyde|Hyde]]&nbsp;• [[Mossley#Administrative history|Mossley]]&nbsp;• [[Municipal Borough of Stalybridge|Stalybridge]]
| [[Audenshaw Urban District|Audenshaw]]&nbsp;• [[Denton Urban District|Denton]]&nbsp;• [[Droylsden Urban District|Droylsden]]&nbsp;• [[Longdendale Urban District|Longdendale]]
|
|-
| [[Trafford]]
|
| [[Municipal Borough of Altrincham|Altrincham]]&nbsp;• [[Municipal Borough of Sale|Sale]]&nbsp;• [[Municipal Borough of Stretford|Stretford]]
| [[Bowdon Urban District|Bowdon]]&nbsp;• [[Hale Urban District|Hale]]&nbsp;• [[Urmston Urban District|Urmston]]
| [[Bucklow Rural District|Bucklow]] ([[Carrington, Greater Manchester|Carrington]]&nbsp;• [[Dunham Massey]]&nbsp;• [[Partington, Greater Manchester|Partington]]&nbsp;• [[Warburton, Greater Manchester|Warburton]])<ref name="BucklowMacclesfield">The part of Bucklow Rural District not transferred to Greater Manchester remained in Cheshire, as part of [[Macclesfield (borough)|Macclesfield municipal borough]].</ref>
|-
| [[Metropolitan Borough of Wigan|Wigan]]
| [[County Borough of Wigan|Wigan]]
| [[Municipal Borough of Leigh|Leigh]]
| [[Abram Urban District|Abram]]&nbsp;• [[Ashton in Makerfield Urban District|Ashton in Makerfield]]&nbsp;• [[Aspull Urban District|Aspull]]&nbsp;• [[Atherton Urban District|Atherton]]&nbsp;• [[Billinge and Winstanley Urban District|Billinge and Winstanley]]&nbsp;• [[Hindley Urban District|Hindley]]&nbsp;• [[Ince-in-Makerfield Urban District|Ince-in-Makerfield]]&nbsp;• [[Golborne Urban District|Golborne]]&nbsp;• [[Orrell Urban District|Orrell]]&nbsp;• [[Standish-with-Langtree]]&nbsp;• [[Tyldesley Urban District|Tyldesley]]
| [[Wigan Rural District|Wigan]] ([[Haigh, Greater Manchester|Haigh]]&nbsp;• [[Shevington]]&nbsp;• [[Worthington, Greater Manchester|Worthington]])<ref>The part of Wigan Rural District not transferred to Greater Manchester remained in Lancashire, as part of [[West Lancashire]] district.</ref>
|}

===1974–1997===
[[File:Stockport (GMPTE).jpg|thumb|right|[[Stockport bus station]] in 1988. [[Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive|Greater Manchester Transport]] (later [[GM Buses]]) operated bus services throughout the county, from 1974 to 1993.]]
[[File:Westminster House.JPG|thumb|right|[[Westminster House, Manchester|GMC County Hall]] (now known as Westminster House) in [[Manchester]] housed the [[Greater Manchester County Council]] until its abolition in 1986.]]
[[File:Arms_of_the_Greater_Manchester_Metropolitan_County_Council.svg|thumb|right|The arms of the [[Greater Manchester County Council]], depicted here, became redundant with the abolition of the council in 1986 (though similar arms are used by the [[Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service]]).]]

The areas that were incorporated into Greater Manchester in 1974 previously formed parts of the [[Administrative counties of England|administrative counties]] of Cheshire, Lancashire, the [[West Riding of Yorkshire]], and eight independent [[county borough]]s.<ref name="GM Gazetteer">{{cite web |title=Greater Manchester Gazetteer |url=http://www.gmcro.co.uk/Guides/Gazeteer/gazzg.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718144437/http://www.gmcro.co.uk/Guides/Gazeteer/gazzg.htm |archive-date=18 July 2011 |access-date=17 June 2008 |publisher=Greater Manchester County Record Office |at=Places names&nbsp;– G to H}}</ref> By the early 1970s, this system of demarcation was described as "archaic" and "grossly inadequate to keep pace both with the impact of motor travel, and with the huge increases in local government responsibilities".{{sfn|Clark|1973|p=1}}

The [[Local Government Act 1972]] reformed [[local government in England]], with the act enacted on the 1 April 1974. The area was given the name Greater Manchester and a [[metropolitan county]] designation. This was a two-tier [[metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England|counties]] and [[Districts of England|districts]] system.<ref name=lga1972>HMSO. [[Local Government Act 1972]]. 1972 c. 70</ref> The act formally ,<ref name=LGFSE16>{{cite web |url=http://www.communities.gov.uk/archived/publications/localgovernment/financialstatistics162005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807054452/http://www.communities.gov.uk/archived/publications/localgovernment/financialstatistics162005 |archive-date=7 August 2011 |title=Local Government Finance Statistics England No.16 |author=[[Department for Communities and Local Government|Office of the Deputy Prime Minister]] |publisher=local.odpm.gov.uk |access-date=2 March 2014}}</ref> although [[Greater Manchester County Council]] (GMCC) had been running since [[1973 United Kingdom local elections|elections in 1973]].<ref name="1973 Elections">{{cite web |url=http://ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/collection.htm?uri=hist-5319-1 |title=British Local Election Database, 1889–2003 |publisher=Arts and Humanities data service |date=28 June 2006 |access-date=5 March 2008}}</ref> The leading article in ''[[The Times]]'' on the day the Local Government Act came into effect noted that the "new arrangement is a compromise which seeks to reconcile familiar geography which commands a certain amount of affection and loyalty, with the scale of operations on which modern planning methods can work effectively".<ref>{{cite news |title=All change in local affairs |work=The Times |date=1 April 1974 |page=15}}</ref> Frangopulo noted that the creation of Greater Manchester "was the official unifying of a region which, through history and tradition, had forged for itself over many centuries bonds&nbsp;... between the communities of town and village, each of which was the embodiment of the character of this region".{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=xii}} The name Greater Manchester was adopted, having been favoured over Selnec following public consultation,{{sfn|Clark|1973|p=101}} despite opposition claiming that "Greater Manchester [...] is a myth. An abomination. A travesty.".{{sfn|Bowden|2015|p=NP}}

By January 1974, a joint working party representing Greater Manchester had drawn up its county ''[[Structure Plan]]'', ready for implementation by the Greater Manchester County Council. The plan set out objectives for the forthcoming metropolitan county.{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|p=246}} The highest priority was to increase the quality of life for its inhabitants by improving the county's physical environment and cultural facilities which had suffered following deindustrialisation – much of Greater Manchester's basic infrastructure dated from its 19th-century growth, and was unsuited to modern lifestyles.{{sfn|Bristow|Cross|1983|p=30}} Other objectives were to reverse the trend of depopulation in central-Greater Manchester, to invest in country parks to improve the region's poor reputation on leisure facilities, and to improve the county's transport infrastructure and patterns.{{sfn|Frangopulo|1977|pp=246, 255}}
[[File:Manchester Central Arena.jpg|thumb|right|The Greater Manchester Exhibition Centre (better known as the G-Mex centre and now rebranded as [[Manchester Central (Conference Centre)|Manchester Central]]) was the converted former [[Manchester Central railway station]], in [[Manchester city centre]], used for hosting the county's cultural events.]]
Because of political objection, particularly from Cheshire, Greater Manchester covered only the inner, urban 62 of the 90 former districts that the Royal Commission had outlined as an effective administrative metropolitan area.{{sfn|Wannop|2002|pp=144–145}} In this capacity, GMCC found itself "planning for an arbitrary metropolitan area&nbsp;... abruptly truncated to the south", and so had to negotiate several land-use, transport and housing projects with its neighbouring county councils.{{sfn|Wannop|2002|pp=144–145}} However a "major programme of environmental action" by GMCC broadly succeeded in reversing social deprevation in its inner city slums.{{sfn|Wannop|2002|pp=144–145}} Leisure and recreational successes included the Greater Manchester Exhibition Centre (better known as the G-Mex centre and now branded [[Manchester Central (Conference Centre)|Manchester Central]]), a converted former railway station in Manchester city centre used for cultural events,{{sfn|Parkinson-Bailey|2000|pp=214–215}} and GMCC's creation of five new [[country park]]s within its boundaries.{{sfn|Taylor|Evans|Fraser|1996|p=76}} GMCC was, however, criticised for being too Manchester-centric by representatives from the outer suburbs.{{sfn|Clapson|2010|pp=123–124}}

A decade after they were established, the mostly [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]-controlled metropolitan county councils and the [[Greater London Council]] (GLC) had several high-profile clashes with the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] government of [[Margaret Thatcher]], with regards overspending and high [[rates (tax)|rates]] charging. Government policy on the issue was considered throughout 1982, and the Conservative Party put a "promise to scrap the metropolitan county councils" and the GLC, in their manifesto for the [[1983 United Kingdom general election|1983 general election]].{{sfn|Wilson|Game|2002|p=61}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Tory plan to abolish GLC and metropolitan councils, but rates stay |author=Walker, David |work=The Times |date=15 January 1983 |page=2}}<br />•{{cite news |title=Tories may abolish county councils if they win election |author=Haviland, Julian |work=The Times |date=5 May 1983 |page=1}}<br />•{{cite news |title=Big cities defiant over police |author=Tendler, Stewart |work=The Times |date=16 June 1983 |page=2}}</ref> Greater Manchester County Council was abolished on 31 March 1986 under the [[Local Government Act 1985]]. That the metropolitan county councils were controlled by the Labour Party led to accusations that their abolition was motivated by party politics:{{sfn|Wilson|Game|2002|p=61}} the general secretary of the [[National Association of Local Government Officers]] described it as a "completely cynical manoeuvre".<ref name=angry_reaction>{{cite news |title=Angry reaction to councils White Paper |work=The Times |date=8 October 1983 |page=22}}</ref> Most of the functions of GMCC were devolved to the ten Greater Manchester [[metropolitan district]] councils, though functions such as emergency services and public transport were taken over by [[Joint-board|joint boards]] and continued to be run on a county-wide basis.{{sfn|Wilson|Game|2002|p=62}} The [[Association of Greater Manchester Authorities]] (AGMA) was established to continue much of the county-wide services of the [[county council]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.agma.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/about-agma/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915191108/http://www.agma.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/about-agma/ |archive-date=15 September 2008 |title=About AGMA |publisher=[[Association of Greater Manchester Authorities]] |access-date=5 March 2008}}</ref> The metropolitan county continues to exist in law, and as a geographic frame of reference,<ref name="geographic frame of reference">{{cite book |author=[[Office for National Statistics]] |title=Gazetteer of the old and new geographies of the United Kingdom |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/ons_geography/Gazetteer_v3.pdf |isbn=1-85774-298-2 |date=1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308115317/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/ons_geography/Gazetteer_v3.pdf |archive-date=8 March 2008 |access-date=2 March 2014 |publisher=statistics.gov.uk |page=48}}<br />{{cite web |publisher=[[Office for National Statistics]] |title=Beginners' Guide to UK Geography: Metropolitan Counties and Districts |url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/geography/beginner-s-guide/administrative/england/metropolitan-counties-and-districts/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/geography/beginner-s-guide/administrative/england/metropolitan-counties-and-districts/index.html |archive-date=5 January 2016 |access-date=8 August 2013 }}<br />{{cite web |title=North West |url=http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/boundary-reviews/all-reviews/north-west |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081114220421/http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/boundary-reviews/all-reviews/north-west |archive-date=14 November 2008 |access-date=2 March 2014 |publisher=The Electoral Commission}}</ref> for example as a [[Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics|NUTS 2]] administrative division for statistical purposes within the [[European Union]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.biser-eu.com/regions/Greater%20Manchester.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061018154943/http://www.biser-eu.com/regions/Greater%20Manchester.pdf |archive-date=18 October 2006 |title=Regional Portrait of Greater Manchester – 5.1 Spatial Structure |publisher=BISER  |work=Workpackage 6: e-Europe Regions Domain Reporting |date=September 2003 |access-date=2 March 2014}}</ref> Although having been a [[Lieutenancy area]] since 1974, Greater Manchester was included as a [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial county]] by the [[Lieutenancies Act 1997]] on 1 July 1997.<ref>legislation.gov.uk. "[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1997/ukpga_19970023_en_1 Lieutenancies Act 1997]", c.23. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100522210452/http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1997/ukpga_19970023_en_1 |date=22 May 2010 }}.</ref>

===Combined Authority===
{{Further|Greater Manchester Combined Authority}}
In 1998, the people of [[Greater London]] voted in a referendum in favour of establishing a new [[Greater London Authority]], with mayor and an elected chamber for the county.<ref>{{cite book |author=Wood, Edward |title=Research Paper 98/115 –The Greater London Authority Bill: A Mayor and Assembly for London&nbsp;– Bill 7 of 1998–99 |date=11 December 1998 |publisher=House of Commons Library |url=http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp98/rp98-115.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061120233900/http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp98/rp98-115.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 November 2006}}</ref> The [[New Local Government Network]] proposed the creation of a new Manchester City Region based on Greater Manchester and other metropolitan counties as part of on-going reform efforts, while a report released by the [[Institute for Public Policy Research]]'s [[Centre for Cities]] proposed the creation of two administrative [[city region]]s based on Manchester and [[Birmingham]].

The Manchester City Region initially appeared in government documents as one of eight [[City region (United Kingdom)|city regions]] defined in the 2004 strategic document ''[[The Northern Way|Moving Forward: The Northern Way]].''<ref>[http://www.thenorthernway.co.uk/downloaddoc.asp?id=276 Moving Forward:The Northern Way] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206024033/http://www.thenorthernway.co.uk/downloaddoc.asp?id=276 |date=2008-12-06}}</ref> In July 2007, [[HM Treasury|The Treasury]] published its ''Review of sub-national economic development and regeneration'', which stated that the government would allow those city regions that wished to work together to form a statutory framework for city regional activity, including powers over transport, skills, planning and economic development.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/spending_review/spend_csr07/reviews/subnational_econ_review.cfm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071215102807/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/spending_review/spend_csr07/reviews/subnational_econ_review.cfm |archive-date=15 December 2007 |title=Sub-national economic development and regeneration review |date=17 July 2007 |publisher=hm-treasury.gov.uk |author=HM Treasury |authorlink=HM Treasury |access-date=2 March 2014}}</ref> The Manchester City Region encompassed fifteen local government districts: the cities of [[City of Manchester|Manchester]] and [[City of Salford|Salford]] plus the [[metropolitan borough]]s of [[Metropolitan Borough of Stockport|Stockport]], [[Tameside]], [[Trafford]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Bolton|Bolton]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Bury|Bury]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Oldham|Oldham]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale|Rochdale]] and [[Metropolitan Borough of Wigan|Wigan]], together with the [[borough]]s of [[High Peak, Derbyshire|High Peak]], [[Borough of Warrington|Warrington]] and the former boroughs of [[Congleton (borough)|Congleton]], [[Macclesfield (borough)|Macclesfield]] and [[Vale Royal]].<ref>{{cite web |title=A Framework for City Regions Working Paper |url=http://www.ncl.ac.uk/curds/publications/pdf/AFrameworkforCityRegionsWorkingPaper1PDF3314Kb_id11635961.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124051547/http://www.ncl.ac.uk/curds/publications/pdf/AFrameworkforCityRegionsWorkingPaper1PDF3314Kb_id11635961.pdf |archive-date=24 January 2016 |access-date=16 April 2015 |website=Newcastle University UK |publisher=Office of the Deputy Prime Minister}}</ref>

In January 2008, AGMA suggested that a formal government structure be created to cover Greater Manchester.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/features_details.cfm?News_id=32036 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105051655/http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/features_details.cfm?News_id=32036 |archive-date=5 January 2009 |publisher=publicfinance.co.uk |date=18 January 2008 |title=Comment&nbsp;– A faster track for the city-regions |author=Fairley, Peter |access-date=29 September 2012}}</ref> The issue resurfaced in June 2008 with regards to proposed [[congestion charging in Greater Manchester]]; [[Sir Richard Leese]] (leader of [[Manchester City Council]]) said "I've come to the conclusion that [a referendum on congestion charging should be held] because we don't have an indirectly or directly elected body for Greater Manchester that has the power to make this decision".<ref>{{cite news |last=Ottewell |first=David |title=Now YOU can vote on congestion charge |work=[[Manchester Evening News]] |pages=1–2 |date=25 June 2008}}</ref> On 14 July 2008 the ten local authorities in Greater Manchester agreed to a strategic and integrated cross-county [[Multi-Area Agreement]]; a voluntary initiative aimed at making district councils "work together to challenge the artificial limits of boundaries" in return for greater autonomy from the [[government of the United Kingdom|central government of the UK]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/892523 |date=14 July 2008 |title=More than the sum of their parts – partnerships seal deal to increase economic growth |publisher=communities.gov.uk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080803231324/http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/892523 |archive-date=3 August 2008 |url-status=dead |access-date=16 July 2008}}</ref> A referendum on the [[Greater Manchester Transport Innovation Fund]] was held in December 2008,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7588142.stm |work=[[BBC News|news.bbc.co.uk]] |title=Date set for C-charge referendum |date=29 September 2008 |access-date=5 January 2010 |archive-date=1 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301175730/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7588142.stm |url-status=live}}</ref> in which voters "overwhelmingly rejected" plans for public transport improvements linked to a peak-time weekday-only congestion charge.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/dec/12/congestioncharging-transport |title=Manchester says no to congestion charging |last=Sturcke |first=James |date=12 December 2008 |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=12 December 2008 |archive-date=5 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130905083528/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/dec/12/congestioncharging-transport |url-status=live}}</ref>

Following a bid from AGMA highlighting the potential benefits of mitigating the effects of the [[2008 financial crisis]], it was announced in the [[2009 United Kingdom Budget]] that Greater Manchester and the [[Leeds City Region]] would be awarded Statutory City Region Pilot status, allowing (if they wanted) for their constituent district councils to pool resources and become statutory Combined Authorities with powers comparable to the Greater London Authority.<ref name="CRG" /> The stated aim of the pilot was to evaluate the contributions to economic growth and sustainable development by Combined Authorities.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.agma.gov.uk/city_region/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100314030309/http://www.agma.gov.uk/city_region/index.html |archive-date=14 March 2010 |publisher=agma.gov.uk |title=City Region |access-date=18 March 2010 |author=[[Association of Greater Manchester Authorities]] }}</ref> The [[Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009]] enabled the creation of a Combined Authority for Greater Manchester with [[devolution|devolved]] powers on public transport, skills, housing, regeneration, waste management, [[carbon neutrality]] and [[planning permission]], pending approval from the ten councils.<ref name="CRG" /><ref name="HM1">{{cite web |url=http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/press_122_09.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091221064416/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/press_122_09.htm |archive-date=21 December 2009 |publisher=hm-treasury.gov.uk |author=HM Treasury |authorlink=HM Treasury |title=Greater Manchester granted city region status |date=16 December 2009 |access-date=2 March 2014}}</ref> Such strategic matters would be decided on via an enhanced [[majority rule]] voting system involving ten members appointed from among the councillors of the metropolitan boroughs (one representing each borough with each council nominating one substitute) without the input of central government. The ten district councils of Greater Manchester approved the creation of the [[Greater Manchester Combined Authority]] (GMCA) on 29 March 2010, and submitted final recommendations for a constitution to the [[Department for Communities and Local Government]] and the [[Department for Transport]] and two days later the Communities Secretary [[John Denham (politician)|John Denham]] approved the constitution and launched a 15-week public consultation on the draft bill together with the approved constitution.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1527485 |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100504173658/http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1527485 |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 May 2010 |title=John Denham – Greater Manchester to be country's first ever Combined Authority |date=31 March 2010 |access-date=18 October 2010 |publisher=communities.gov.uk}}</ref>

Following requests by the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities, which was superseded by the GMCA,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/5953132.plan-to-end-rail-and-road-misery/ |publisher=The Bolton News |title=Plan to end rail and road misery |date=31 March 2010 |access-date=15 November 2021 |archive-date=14 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170714015640/http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/news/5953132.Plan_to_end_rail_and_road_misery/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oldhamadvertiser.co.uk/news/s/1202108_greater_manchester_to_become_first_city_region |work=[[Oldham Advertiser]] |date=29 March 2010 |access-date=30 March 2010 |title=Greater Manchester to become first 'city region' |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905052226/http://www.oldhamadvertiser.co.uk/news/s/1202108_greater_manchester_to_become_first_city_region |archive-date=5 September 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.manchester.gov.uk/news/article/5429/greater_manchester_agrees_to_combined_authority |title=Greater Manchester agrees to combined authority |publisher=Manchester City Council |date=29 March 2010 |access-date=31 March 2010 |archive-date=3 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100403221003/http://www.manchester.gov.uk/news/article/5429/greater_manchester_agrees_to_combined_authority |url-status=live}}</ref> the new authority was created on 1 April 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/8728573.Safeguard_to_prevent_C_charge_is_welcomed/ |publisher=The Bolton News |date=9 December 2010 |access-date=14 December 2010 |title=Safeguard to prevent C-charge is welcomed |archive-date=14 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614032917/http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/8728573.Safeguard_to_prevent_C_charge_is_welcomed/ |url-status=live}}</ref> On the same day, the [[TfGME|Transport for Greater Manchester Committee]] was also formed from a pool of 33 councillors allocated by council population (roughly one councillor per 75,000 residents) to scrutinise the running of Greater Manchester's transport bodies and their finances, approve the decisions and policies of said bodies and form strategic policy recommendations or projects for the approval of the Combined Authority.<ref name="CRG">{{cite web |url=http://www.agma.gov.uk/cms_media/files/agma_city_region_governance_final.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725174844/http://www.agma.gov.uk/cms_media/files/agma_city_region_governance_final.pdf |archive-date=25 July 2011 |publisher=[[Association of Greater Manchester Authorities]] |year=2009 |title=City Region Governance: A consultation on future arrangements in Greater Manchester |access-date=18 March 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> On 3 November 2014, [[George Osborne]], the [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]], announced that there would be an eleventh member of the GMCA – a directly elected [[Mayor of Greater Manchester]], with "powers over transport, housing, planning and policing" from 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/manchester-to-get-directly-elected-mayor |title=Manchester to get directly elected Mayor |author=HM Treasury and The Rt Hon George Osborne MP |date=3 November 2014 |publisher=gov.uk |access-date=5 December 2014 |archive-date=3 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103182153/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/manchester-to-get-directly-elected-mayor |url-status=live}}</ref>