Theme Three: Other items of spend in organisations and systems
Productivity and efficiency improvements are a key theme of the Council’s medium term financial plan. All Directorates and Services have been asked to identify such savings opportunities for 2025/26 and 2026/27.
Manchester City Council does not consider the items listed in the guidance letter to be ‘wasteful’. Spend in these areas is closely monitored to deliver value for money.
Governance
Manchester has robust governance processes that were recognised in our Corporate Peer Challenge. These are described in our Annual Governance Statement.
Agency and consultancy spend
This is only made when this represents the best value for money, for example meeting labour shortages and skills gaps, or bringing in additional specialist skills for specific work required. All spend on agency and consultancy is within approved budgets. In general the Council’s approach is to invest in the development of its own staff and retain skills and expertise in-house. All 10 Greater Manchester Councils have implemented a cap on the rates of pay for Children’s Social Workers.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
Manchester is proud of its history as a welcoming and diverse city, this has been fundamental to its record as a city of innovation, growth and inclusion. Over 200 languages are spoken in the city and 52% of residents responding to the 2021 Census identified from an ethnic background as not white British. Advancing equality, diversity and inclusion is a key priority for the City as per the Our Manchester Strategy, and the Council as per its Corporate Plan. Manchester’s Workforce Equalities Strategy and the recent strategy refresh was co-designed by staff and includes a focus on inclusive recruitment, training and development and zero tolerance. As an example of sharing resources, Manchester Council and the NHS have a shared role of Joint Director Equality & Engagement. The City Solicitor chairs a cross cutting internal Council meeting that aims to further progress and embed EDI across all parts of the Council.
Combined Authority arrangements
Manchester is a core part of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). The city has benefitted significantly from the devolution agreements that GMCA has developed with the Government since 2014. For example, independent published research showed that health and social care devolution improved life expectancy more in Manchester and Greater Manchester than in comparator areas.
Trade Union facility time
Manchester works closely with Trade Unions to make effective decisions for the Council and its workforce. Providing trade unions dedicated time to undertake a wide range of duties representing our workforce builds trust and working relationships through honesty and direct communications. This approach has been key to developing positive working relationships between management and employee representatives and deliver corporate and directorate change. Our trade unions also enable us to fulfil statutory health & safety duties, act as employee learning representatives and through negotiation enable to change to be made through collective agreement.
Shared services
Manchester has a number of shared service arrangements where it provides services to other Councils. Examples include providing Legal Services to Salford, Rochdale and GMCA, and Internal Audit services to Bolton.