Greater Manchester VCFSE sector shares priorities with new Mayor Bev Craig

The meeting presented an opportunity for honest and ongoing dialogue, with a focus on delivering tangible improvements for residents, particularly around the cost of living and public service reform. The VCFSE sector’s role in Greater Manchester in shaping future solutions was central to discussion, and Bev clearly indicated that she has the sector’s interests at heart.

Alongside the meeting came the opportunity to share an overview of our sector’s policy-related priorities. The resulting short briefing, brought together by Anna Cooper at Voluntary Sector North West, shares our sector’s priorities and perspectives on how devolved powers and resources can better reach and benefit local communities across the city-region.

It sets out ten priority actions where the sector can work alongside the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and other partners to deliver our shared ambitions, while responding directly to the new Mayor's emerging priorities. The briefing highlights that Greater Manchester already has strong foundations in place through existing commitments, including the GMVCFSE Accord, the Greater Manchester Strategy, and the GMCA Fair Funding Protocol. Its central message is that the opportunity lies in continuing to work together effectively to deliver positive social and economic change for communities across Greater Manchester.

Informed by members of the GM VCFSE Leadership Group, the briefing brings together different perspectives and priorities that are most important to our communities. Members of the group are nominated by, and accountable to, wider networks and communities in Greater Manchester, meaning abroad range of voices and expertise can be reflected in strategic discussions. Operating through a distributed model of leadership, the group works collaboratively to complement and strengthen existing VCFSE networks and organisations, ensuring that influence is rooted in the sector's collective knowledge and expertise. The result, in this case, is a set of priorities that not only respond to the Mayor's ambitions for Greater Manchester but are grounded in the insight and experience of organisations working directly with communities every day.

The priorities in the briefing focus on strengthening community power and participation, embedding community wealth building into economic development, redesigning procurement to maximise social value, reimagining town centres, expanding the role of the VCFSE sector in employment and skills, supporting children and young people, investing in community-led housing, and accelerating health and care transformation through neighbourhood-based prevention and early intervention.

The briefing also calls for greater support for community belonging and climate resilience, alongside full implementation of the GMCA Fair Funding Protocol across Greater Manchester to create much-needed long-term stability for VCFSE organisations.

The meeting provided an important opportunity to begin a dialogue with the new Mayor, sharing the VCFSE sector's unique perspectives at a time when future priorities and budgets are being shaped, and helping to ensure that communities' voices are heard in decision-making.