Editing Greater Manchester (section)

===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>