What are Manchester's parties promising to deliver in the 2024 local elections?

In a fortnight, voters in Manchester will go to the polls. This year’s Manchester council elections will see 33 seats up for grabs - one in all 32 wards as planned, plus an extra race in East Didsbury after a Labour resignation. Labour currently controls the authority with 86 councillors out of 96 in total.

That means even if the party were to lose every seat it contested in 2024 - admittedly an unlikely occurrence given the opinion polls - it would still be in charge of the authority with 53 members. So, with Labour assured of another year in power, what is it offering voters? And what are its main rivals, the Greens and Lib Dems, putting forward?

READ MORE: "You are lying": Chaotic moment FIGHT breaks out between two women in traffic light queue"

To find out, the Local Democracy Reporting Service asked each party to send over a ‘mini manifesto for Manchester’, outlining what their pitch is to residents.

Here is what they have to say (arranged alphabetically)...

Greens

Leader of Manchester Greens, Coun Astrid Johnson, is putting forward a manifesto which will ‘treat the climate crisis holistically’; ‘cut the cost of living’, ‘transform public transport’; ‘improve health, welfare and opportunities’; and ‘stand with migrants and marginalised communities’.

Coun Johnson added: “We’re delighted to unveil our team of fantastic Green Party candidates ready to represent communities across Manchester in the council elections on Thursday May 2.

“Manchester is an amazing place to live, and we need to invest more in people right across our city from Heaton Park to Woodhouse Park. Getting more Greens elected will push Manchester City Council to get the basics right, making our homes more affordable and energy-efficient, our streets safer and cleaner, and our city an even more exciting place to travel around and live in.”

“When you vote Green on May 2, you will get hard-working councillors committed to doing the best for local people and putting forward solutions to help create a fairer, greener Manchester.”

Labour

Ruling Labour councillors have picked out five pledges to voters, namely ‘standing by your side through the cost of living crisis’; ‘creating great places to live’; ‘building the homes that our city needs’; ‘opportunities for all: The best place to grow up and get on’; and ‘a greener, more sustainable Manchester’.

“Manchester Labour is fighting for an even better Manchester, a prosperous, fairer, more equal city, where every child has the best start in life, with new and exciting opportunities for Manchester people,” added party and council leader, Coun Bev Craig.

“A city where everyone can live happy and healthy lives, with good jobs, in clean, green and safe neighbourhoods, where everyone has a decent and genuinely affordable home. A city where no one is left behind, and everyone is proud of.

“This is the Manchester residents tell us they want and a reality we are working together to build. A vote for Manchester Labour, helps us deliver this with hardworking local councillors right across the city.

“The Conservative and Liberal Democrat Coalition, and five Conservative Prime Ministers, have failed our country. A crashed economy, families worse off, the NHS and schools in crisis, and cuts of almost £450m a year from Manchester Councils budget. Enough. We need a Labour Government to back our city and rebuild the country.

“Manchester Labour has stood up for our city, delivered and always put our residents first. This election, we’re asking for your support to keep building a better Manchester, and alongside Andy Burnham to keep fighting for our city.”

Liberal Democrats

The Liberal Democrats’ bid to win seats also revolves around five key pledges. They are ‘holding the Labour council to account - the opposition you need on the council’, ‘getting the basics right - investing in basic services such as road, pavement and gully repairs and tackling fly-tipping and improving enforcement’, ‘improving road safety and parking enforcement’, ‘holding developers to their affordable housing commitments’, and ‘tougher action to protect our rivers from pollution and sewage’.

Manchester Lib Dem leader Coun John Leech said: "It is the Liberal Democrats that ask the tough questions when the Labour Council wastes money, or fail to invest in vital basic services. Manchester needs more Liberal Democrat councillors, who will put residents and their priorities first."