Our Home, Our Say: Greater Democracy for Greater Manchester


To: Andy Burnham and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)
Our Home, Our Say: A Citizens' Assembly for Greater Manchester
We, the undersigned, believe Greater Manchester should once again be the flagship of change. Our city has always led the way. Now, it’s time to keep that momentum going by modernising our political system.
The current set-up, with an indirectly elected authority and one mayoral vote every four years, leaves too many voices unheard. We call on you, Mayor Burnham and the GMCA, to establish a permanent Citizens' Assembly to put the people at the helm in the region.
This assembly will bring people from all walks of life in our communities together—engineers, nurses, shopkeepers, teachers, and neighbours—to help tackle the problems we face and ensure decisions serve people like us. Selected like a jury and guided by specialists, it will ensure policies serve the people of Greater Manchester.
By establishing the UK’s first permanent Citizens’ Assembly, we can inspire change across the country and give the mayor more authority and attention when advocating for us on the national stage.
We urge you to act now. Let’s not accept London’s second-class structure of local democracy—Greater Manchester deserves greater democracy!
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