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Print8:28 am, April 22, 2009
Darling expected to give go ahead for City Region plans
Chancellor Alistair Darling is expected to give the go ahead for Greater Manchester and Leeds to become the country’s first City Regions, with greater local control of public spending and economic development.
The announcement, expected as part of his Budget speech, will give Greater Manchester’s ten local authorities more control over functions now controlled by government departments, such as employment strategy, skills training and transport.
They will also be able to freeze business rates for new companies setting up in the area and will have greater powers to borrow money for major schemes such as the extension of the Metrolink and other public transport initiatives, including some aspects of the Transport Innovation Fund proposals.
It remains to be seen how much control the local authorities will be granted over the £100m currently spent in Greater Manchester every year by the North West Regional Development Agency.
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