Housing loans handed out in Greater Manchester over more than a decade will be examined by councillors in December. The Greater Manchester Combined Authority's (GMCA) overview and scrutiny committee announced the move on Wednesday (October 28), during a meeting where members called for 'openness and transparency' over how public money had been loaned out.
The December meeting will include a discussion on 'how the money will be spent going forward'.
Abu Dhabi loans questioned
The move follows questions over the relationship between political leaders in Greater Manchester and Manchester City's Abu Dhabi owners. The Abu Dhabi United Group received loans worth £55m in 2017 from the GMCA as part of its regeneration work in Ancoats and New Islington.
Councillor John Leech, chair of the overview and scrutiny committee, said on Wednesday: "I think it's very clear that there was a steer from not just opposition members, but Labour members as well, that the issue surrounding the loan fund and the changes that are now in place within the Good Growth Fund, that we are going to scrutinise it in a proper open scrutiny process."
Private briefing planned
Councillor Leech said there would be a 'private briefing' arranged for the scrutiny committee ahead of the public meeting. This is aimed at giving members of the committee more information about the loans fund.
Greater Manchester's Housing Investment Loan Fund was first set up in 2015. It used £300m of government funding to help boost house building in the region.
Reform UK Councillor Sian Astley said at Wednesday's scrutiny meeting: "People just want transparency now, and people have got all these questions.
"We've all seen them, we've all received the emails which you're alluding to, not just in the scrutiny committee, but across the council.
"Just a little bit of openness, transparency, but I think getting that initial briefing so everybody around the scrutiny committee actually understands what's been going on would be really useful."
