News
Andy Burnham wants to add £22 to council tax to pay for buses, fire service and police
If the general precept is approved, the overall council tax increase would be 7.1%
Council tax bills across Greater Manchester could reportedly increase by £22 under Andy Burnham’s plans to pay for bus reform, the fire service’s response to terrorism and improvements to 101 police calls.
Those living in Band D properties would see a £12 increase to their bill from April if the proposed change is approved next month.
The Greater Manchester mayoral precept would reportedly be spent on homeless shelters, the Our Pass bus scheme and reversing a reduction in fire engines.
£10 of the precept would also go towards Greater Manchester Police, which has been in special measures since a damning report by inspectors last year found that 80,000 crimes hadn’t been recorded across a twelve month period.
@Ilovetheeu / Wikimedia Commons
It was also found that the force had a significant backlog of 2,700 emergency calls from vulnerable individuals that it was failing to prioritise.
The mayor didn’t increase the police precept last year after GMP was placed in special measures, saying ‘rewarding failure’ would ‘send the wrong message’.
This year’s proposed tax increase also promises to improve response times to 999 and 101 calls which inspectors say has ‘already improved’.
Read More: Andy Burnham responds to petition opposing Clean Air Zone after it reaches 20k signatures
The fire element of the precept, which accounts for £5 of the increase for Band D properties, would go towards a proposed pay rise for firefighters.
Burnham said the proposed pay rise recognises the need to respond to terrorist incidents.
The mayor has since said that he recognises the cost of living pressures residents are facing, promising that the proposed increase has been minimised ‘as best we can’.
Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity
He said the main reason for the increase is the ‘huge undertaking’ of bringing buses in the city-region back under public control.
Burnham said: “This is a massive change. We are the first city-region in the country to use the powers set out in the legislation to do this.
“We already know there are bumps along the road because we are still subject to legal challenge from bus operators. So this is a challenging process.”
The mayoral precepts must be approved at the Police, Fire and Crime Panel today before coming into effect in April.
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
Find something to do in Manchester
Powered by 
Boom Battle Bar: Ultimate games destination for perfect birthday, stag do or work party
The Cube Live adds three exciting new games for the perfect team day out
MTV to take over Manchester for 2024 EMAs with week of events
The personal trainer who trains disabled and elderly clients for free at his community gym
The Italian spot doing 50% off their entire a la carte menu
