News flash - rumours of new Environment Executive

Rumour reaches MCFly from more than one source (so it MUST be true!) that on Wednesday May 19th, at the first full Council meeting since the May 6th local elections, Cllr Nigel Murphy will be named as the Executive Member for the Environment. He will replace Richard Cowell, who lost his seat in Northenden to the Liberal Democrats, a ward in which the Green Party did not stand a candidate.

Cllr Murphy, who retained his Hulme seat in the 2010 elections, was officially Richard Cowell's deputy. However, MCFly never saw him at the meetings that Cowell attended, whether Environmental Advisory Panels, public debates, the meetings around the creation of the Climate Change Action Plan last year or the like. Cllr Murphy also did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Manchester Climate Fortnightly, both before the elections and at the count on Friday May 7th. It will be interesting to see if- assuming the rumours are true - Cllr Murphy takes a different view on communication after he rises to a position of some power in the City Council's political structures.

It appears that Cllr David Royle (Fallowfield) will be deputy Exec for the Environment.

The full council meeting takes place at 10am, the Council Chambers, 3rd level of the Town Hall Extension. It is open to the public. MCFly will be there.