MY pride in being born in Lancashire and my membership of Lancashire County Cricket Club do not stop me believing that Bolton has more to gain from being closer to Manchester than Darwen, Blackburn or Preston.
Amazing changes are afoot — Conservative chancellor George Osborne is transferring billions of national pounds to Greater Manchester councils which are mainly controlled by Labour.
This devolution of powers includes £6 billion to pay for combined health and social care services throughout the “Manchester city region” — an area that includes Bolton, Bury and Leigh.
Some folk welcome this brave initiative, but others worry that it is an exercise in setting up Labour to fail in an age where the cash on offer might not be enough to match the increasing demands on a creaking social system.
Even if that cynical view proves to be correct, I think Greater Manchester politicians are right to accept the challenge and give it a go.
This is where it gets messy, however.
The Conservative deal (nobody seems to think it has anything to do with the Lib Dem coalition partners) involves the election of a Greater Manchester Mayor with executive powers, probably in 2017.
I know I am not alone in opposing this idea and I wonder whether Labour politicians throughout Greater Manchester will be as keen if their party wins the general election in May. Unfortunately, I have to presume there is very little wriggle room.
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority — a body made up of leaders of the 10 councils involved — will become increasingly important for us all.
Members include Cllr Cliff Morris, a long-standing public servant who is slagged off regularly in these columns.
When these new powers kick-in fully, Cllr Morris and his successors will have a massive job fighting Bolton’s corner as other GMCA members — particularly Manchester — support their own interests.
Apart from my reservations about an elected Mayor and some concern about the current lack of GMCA media coverage, I welcome a new political reality that includes Devo-Bolt as part of Devo-Manc.
All Boltonians, many of us proud Lancastrians, will have to get used to it.
Alan Calvert,
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