An independent commission has set out a range of measures for tackling inequality and transforming public policy across Greater Manchester.
The Independent Inequalities Commission was launched last October with a six-month mission to examine inequalities across the city-region, consider how they should be tackled and outline specific, ambitious recommendations.
The findings highlight a range of progressive actions already being taken in Greater Manchester and elsewhere and consider how they can be embedded within public service delivery at all levels, responding to the immediate challenges of the pandemic and pivoting towards new ways of doing things in the future.
The Commission is calling for wellbeing and equality goals to be put at the heart of the Greater Manchester Strategy, with public budgets and projects all geared towards redressing imbalances by building a strong economy and working with residents to deliver the best possible services.
Recommendations include strengthening the mandate of equalities panels, establishing an independent Anti-Discrimination body, working with education and training providers to bridge the skills divide, and community wealth building and investment initiatives. They also call for a target of 2030 being set for every employer in Greater Manchester to pay a living wage and offer living hours to employees.
During their six-month investigation the Commission took stock of existing evidence and good practice, engaging with stakeholders in the business, public, voluntary and community sectors.
This included the collaborative work between Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership and the Marmot Team at the Institute of Health Equity at University College London to develop Greater Manchester as the UK’s first Marmot city region, ensuring that policies and resources are geared towards creating a fairer, more equal society.
The analysis and recommendations from the collaboration will be published in spring 2021 and will support ongoing conversations in Greater Manchester around inequalities in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The past year has brought out the very best of us in the darkest of times, but the pandemic has also brutally exposed how unequal our society has become,” said Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester. “I want to thank all of the Commissioners for bringing such insight, diligence and commitment to this task. They have made a set of challenging but practical recommendations – it’s up to all of us to take those ideas forward and make sure we bring those benefits to everyone.”
