SUPPORTING the creation of LGBT-friendly retirement homes and tackling domestic abuse in the LGBT community will be part of the focus of a new role in Greater Manchester.

Carl Austin-Behan, former Lord Mayor of Manchester and the first to be openly gay, has been named as the first city-region LGBT adviser heading up a new LGBT panel for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

The panel will tackle the inequalities lesbian, gay, bi and trans people face across the region and Mr Austin-Behan was named to the role by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

Mr Austin-Behan, who has an honourary doctorate from the University of Bolton, said: “There are at least 215,000 lesbian, gay, bi and trans people in Greater Manchester ­— that’s bigger than the population of Rochdale so it is important that they are represented and their voices are heard.

“By setting up this panel, the Mayor is demonstrating a clear and unambiguous commitment to improving the lives of LGBT people and reducing inequality across the city-region. The panel and I are looking forward to getting to work.”