Plans for three billion pounds of investment in Greater Manchester’s public transport network, partly funded by a peak-time congestion charge on vehicles travelling in and out of Manchester city centre, have generated masses of local and national media coverage.
Now every Borough Life reader has the opportunity to have their say in an historic referendum on the Transport Infrastructure Fund (TIF) proposals.
Information about what is being planned has been supplied to every household in the borough, and it’s fair to say the eyes of Britain are on Greater Manchester and what we are shortly being asked to decide.
If you’re on the electoral register you can take part in the postal ballot and you’ve got till 11 December to do so. Whatever you think about the plans, there’s only one way to let us know.…by voting in the referendum.
WE are determined to become a more customer-friendly organisation.
That’s why we’ve decided to make it easier to contact the main council services outside traditional office hours.
From eight in the morning until six in the evening on Mondays to Fridays, and on Saturdays from 8am till 12.30pm, you can now contact our environmental services, council tax and benefits staff to sort out problems.
When so many of our council tax payers are now out at work during the week, we want to be available at a time when it’s convenient for you, rather than for us.
DESPITE the headlines, most young people are not the ogres they are often made out to be.
I was delighted to see the media publicise this year’s Local Democracy Week. Across our borough, local councillors from all parties got together with young people to listen to their concerns and explain what they can and can’t do.
Young people told us that what really matters to them is having safe places to go and things to do, and having a voice. Councillors explained how many of the calls they get are from older people who feel frightened by large groups.
We might not always agree on the solutions, but it’s good to talk….and to listen.
On behalf of everyone at the council, I wish all readers a happy Christmas and peaceful New Year.
