MANCHESTER City Council has just released their annual State of the City report - giving us a snapshot of the city's strengths, weaknesses and our progress towards becoming a 'world-class city as competitive as the best international cities'.
'Reduced congestion'? The authors of this report clearly haven't been anywhere near the 'Regional Centre' for the past six months...
"The State of the City report contains a great wealth of information that show encouraging signs of growth and prosperity against a continuing backdrop of squeezed resources," says Manchester City Council leader, Sir Richard Leese.
“Manchester remains a place where people want to live, work and invest – as well as visit. However, there should be no complacency in the celebration of our achievements as the city – along with the nation – faces real challenges to maintain an upward trajectory, while continuing to support the city’s most vulnerable people.”
According to the Executive summary, 'Manchester is performing well economically and has shown resilience in the face of a difficult financial and economic climate. However, we continue to face major challenges in terms of the health and income levels of many of our residents, and in connecting people to the economic opportunities available.'
READ: THE FULL STATE OF THE CITY REPORT 2015 HERE
Speaking of challenges, these snippets on pages 47 and 48 caught our eye:
'...this figure coincides with the higher patronage of public transport and reduction in car use across the city during this period. Indirect benefits include reduced congestion and improved public health-related conditions...'
'...the enhancements to transport infrastructure in and around the Regional Centre have enabled the city’s economy to grow without negative effects associated with congestion.'
Hold on... 'reduced congestion'? 'Improved public health'? The authors of this report clearly haven't been anywhere near the 'Regional Centre' for the past six months, or read this: City Centre Transport Crisis.
MAJOR DEALS & INVESTMENTS:
- £7bn devolved central government budget including control of the £6bn NHS budget from April 2016
- £61m spent on the National Graphene Institute and £60m funding for Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre
- £318m paid by M&G to acquire two Spinningfields buildings and £132m paid by Schroders for Manchester's City Tower
- £235m funding for the Sir Henry Royce Institute
- £78m of Treasury Investment in The Factory Manchester
- £50m to develop the Elizabeth Gaskell site in Victoria Park into a state-of-the-art hospital
Metrolink patronage was 29.2 million in 2013/14HERE'S SOME HEADLINE FIGURES:
Remember these figures refer to the City of Manchester not Greater Manchester (population 2.7m) nor the travel to work area. The City of Manchester is a city with relatively few affluent residential areas. Many of the wealthier members of the Manchester workforce live outside the formal administrative boundaries, thus skewing the picture when it comes to many of the key stats.
- Mid-year estimates show that in 2014 Manchester’s population had surpassed the Community Strategy target of 480,000 by reaching 520,000 people. The city’s population has grown at an annual rate of 1.6% - twice the average for England as a whole – and assuming this same level of growth, by 2021 the city could expect to be nearer 587,000.
- Manchester, together with other southern districts of Greater Manchester, generated an economic output of £38.6bn in 2013 – a 5.6% increase on the previous year.
- There has been a 6% increase in visitors from 53.9million in 2012 to 57.4million in 2013
- Measured in terms of Gross Value Added (GVA) per head of resident population, Greater Manchester South outperforms similar national and regional areas, rising from £24,710 in 2012 to £25,950 in 2013.
- Consistent with the city’s GVA increase, the number of jobs rose between 2012 and 2013 by 5%, to stand at 334,700 - with around one fifth in professional, scientific, financial or business sectors compared to 14% nationally.
- The employment rate has increased marginally over the last decade from 60% to 62% in 2014. However, the proportion of part-time workers, which rose during the downturn, is now showing signs of returning to pre-recession levels.
- Manchester has the highest average weekly workplace wage (at £460) of the eight English Core Cities, but only the fifth highest resident wage (at £382) – the largest gap between workplace and resident wages in the Core City group.
There has been a 6% increase in visitors from 53.9million in 2012 to 57.4million in 2013
- The gap of people claiming out of work benefits continues to close, from 66,000 in 2001 (24% of the working age population) to 51,000 in 2014 (14% of the working age population – and now only 4.5 percentage points off the national average, compared to 11.5 in 2001.
- The latest data indicates the number of Manchester children living in poverty has fallen from 36% to 33%, but this remains one of the highest rates in the country and above the national average of 19%.
- Between 2004 and 2013 the proportion of the city’s residents with no qualifications fell from 25% to 13%, with the gap between the national rate decreased from nine to three percentage points. However, challenges remain at in improving the skills of residents over the age of 50 who are regularly out of work.
- The percentage of pupils achieving 5 or more GCSE A* - C passes is 51.4% and while this is 2 percentage points below the national average, the gap has narrowed in recent years.
- Health-wise, life expectancy at age 65 continues to rise slowly, however the gap between Manchester and England has increased to stand at 2.7 years for men and 2.2 years for women.
Significant investment in the arts sector include plans for the £110m Factory Manchester- The mortality rate from preventable causes continues its downward trend to 320 per 100,000 in 2011-13 – but is still far higher than the national rate.
- The rate of alcohol-related hospital admissions remains high (at 3,309 per 100,000) and 55% over the national rate. Successful drug treatment for opiate users has shown continued improvement and at 8.6% is above the national rate of 7.6%.
- Manchester has one of the highest under-18 conception rates in the country but continues a downward trend with a 51% reduction between 2005 and 2013 to stand at 36.5 per 1,000.
- The number of older people who entered residential and nursing homes for long-term care saw a reduction of 306.2 per 100,000 to 455.15, although the number of younger adults admitted to care increased by 5.95 per 100,000.
- The total number of victim-based crimes rose for a second consecutive year, but the latest total is 37% less than it was a decade ago – with decreases in vehicle crime, robbery and criminal damage. However, sexual offences and less serious violence have increased – along with anti-social behaviour (ASB) incidents and recorded hate crimes.
The reopening of Central Library contributed to a 47% increase in library visits across the city
- The latest data from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) shows that by 2012 Manchester had achieved a 10.2% reduction in CO2 level (from a 2005 baseline), with a target to reduce emissions by 41% by 2020. The Manchester: A Certain Future (MACF) CO2 Monitoring Group estimates a 20.3% reduction by 2014.
- Enjoying something of a cultural renaissance with the reopening of The Whitworth and the announcement of major cultural facility, The Factory, last year, the city council’s cultural assets attracted 34.5m visitors in 2014/15.
- Manchester Art Gallery visitors rose to 520,000 and the reopening of Central Library contributed to a 47% increase in library visits across the city. Sport participation also rose to 42%, compared to a national average of 36%.
You can view an Executive Summary of this year's report here. The Council will launch a new Manchester Strategy for 2015-2025 which will replace the Community Strategy.
