MCFly 017- Environment Commission: a work in progress

A new Greater Manchester-wide body will be a key part of the political ecosystem that climate campaigners work in. The “Environment Commission” is one of seven such outfits that will work across the city region, and report to the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA).

The idea is that the commissions will reduce duplication of effort and enable better co-ordination between local efforts. The seven areas are “Environment”, “Health,” “Transport,” “Economic Development, Employment and Skills” [the outfit previously known as 'Manchester Enterprises'], “Housing and Infrastructure,” “Improvement and Efficiency” and “Public Protection.”

The mission of the Environment Commission is [and we quote]

• 1) To support the AGMA Executive Board in holding to account bodies which impact on the environmental well-being of the city region,
• 2) to deliver strategies, plans and infrastructure that support their core environmental sustainability objectives,
• 3) and to ensure that the wider work of the Executive Board reflects its environmental priorities.

Overseeing the Environment Commission's work will be 11 commissioners. Six are elected politicians from various local authorities. They are, in alphabetical order; Mark Alcock (Oldham), Richard Cowell (Exec. Member for the Environment of Manchester City Council), Dave Goddard, (leader of Stockport Council), David Molyneux, (Wigan Council's Cabinet Champion for the Environment), Catherine Piddington (Tameside) and James Wibberley (Trafford).

The hunt is on for five others, from business, academia, the third sector, property and development, and communications. The Environment Commission next meets late February or early March. There are many questions yet to be answered about the Environment Commission. MCFly has asked some of those questions, and should have the answers very soon. We'll blog them first, and print them in the next issue, space permitting. The Commission will have its own “web presence” in March. In the meantime, you'll have to make do with www.manchesterclimatefortnightly.info/envcommission.html