What we hope to see from the new mayor of Greater Manchester
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With the election of a new mayor in Greater Manchester, Bev Craig, there is a fresh opportunity to address some of the challenges facing local people. It marks an important moment for our region.
While no single person can solve every challenge, mayors have a significant role in shaping priorities and tackling some of the issues that affect people experiencing poverty, homelessness and disadvantage across the region.
As the new Mayor sets out their agenda, we believe there are several areas that require urgent attention:
Ending rough sleeping
It’s crucial that tackling rough sleeping is one of the new mayor’s key priorities. No one should be forced to sleep rough, and we need to see more progress on this injustice.
While we welcome the new Prime Minister’s commitment to end rough sleeping, national action must be accompanied by local and regional strategies, developed with input from people with lived experience.
We’d like to see Bev Craig prioritise the increased provision of social and affordable housing. This is essential not only for those sleeping rough, but also for families stuck in unsuitable temporary accommodation for years on end, faced with long waiting lists for a secure home.
Everyone at risk of rough sleeping should be accommodated on the same day while homelessness applications are assessed, and the provision of safe and dignified emergency accommodation is a key part of achieving this.
We also hope to see further investment in homelessness prevention and joined-up support services, so that people have access to the holistic, person-centred support that is so vital in helping them transform their lives.
Free school meals for all
Too many children across our region are growing up in poverty, arriving at school hungry and unable to concentrate on learning.
Local schools regularly tell us about the lengths they go to in order that children in their school have at least one nutritious meal a day, including one headteacher who even visited a foodbank in the middle of the day to pack food parcels so that families would not go hungry.
The provision of free school meals for all primary-aged children would be a significant step in ensuring that children are well fed and able to engage with the school day. It would ease the financial burden on families facing rising living costs and reduce the stigma often associated with poverty and needing additional support.
The mayor of London has introduced universal free school meals across the London boroughs, so we know it is possible, and we call on Bev Craig to do the same in Greater Manchester.
Mental health support for children and young people
Headteachers in local Catholic schools have also told us about significant increases in mental health needs among children and young people, with demand far exceeding the support available.
While we welcome the expansion of Mental Health Support Teams in schools in recent years, schools report that both they and external support services are still overstretched and underfunded, while more and more pupils struggle with their mental health.
We believe that every child should have the opportunity to thrive, and access to mental health support is a crucial part of this, with early intervention particularly important in reducing long-term challenges.
Therefore, we would like the new mayor to prioritise rolling out increased mental health support to all schools, ensuring that no child or young person falls through gaps in provision.
The challenges facing our communities are complex, but they are not inevitable.
The new mayor has an opportunity to champion policies that reduce poverty, homelessness and disadvantage, and help create a region where everyone can flourish.
As we continue to supporting people across Greater Manchester and call for the changes that are urgently needed, we hope to see the mayor prioritise sustainable and meaningful action for the people who need it most.