Possibly the problem you have is that the request for money has had much, much more publicity than other initiatives or requests for financial help to the government has received.
Burnham asking for money to go towards upgrading the transport links is exactly the job the Greater Manchester mayor should be doing, Ratcliffe and Coe setting off a media circus is how this kind of thing gets done. Like it or not, as Burnham has said and as we take the piss out of them for, United are a huge tourist attraction in the region which brings plenty of money into the local economy.
This is why their request for funding for whatever they've got planned is featured in the press much more than any of the other less glamorous funding requests that have been received for the region;
Mayor Andy Burnham welcomed the government's announcement this week, but said Greater Manchester got half of what it asked for
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Local leaders requested £90m but lowered their demand to £65m during talks to move into tier three.
www.bbc.co.uk
The Mayor has written to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
"This Budget failed to acknowledge or address the national emergency in local government"
www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, officially opened a successful launch event to celebrate the multi-million-pound funding boost for the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and NIHR Manchester Clinical Research Facility...
www.manchester.ac.uk
40 organisations across all 10 boroughs will receive funding to support art, culture, and creativity
www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
The mayor has revealed details of his Good Landlord Charter
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Andy Burnham joined staff and delivery partners at Greater Manchester Housing First
www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
The regional mayor has taken levelling up into his own hands with the ‘nuclear option’ of a hi-tech manufacturing hub named for the city’s role in splitting the atom
www.theguardian.com
He says bringing the Metrolink to the town is a priority
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Bury Town Centre is set to undergo a complete transformation, according to council bosses.
ilovemanchester.com
Or are there any specific initiatives across Irlam, Oldham or Bury that you don't feel have been properly supported by Burnham or whoever else?
If money is approved by the government to go towards regenerating Trafford who will you be angry with about it? The government for handing it out or Greater Manchester for accepting it?
For what it's worth I don't think any money will go towards funding a stadium rebuild, this is more about drumming up interest and sponsors to get more outside income involved with the stadium and surrounding area. If the plan for rebuilding, or whatever else they want to do, then the council should get involved to make sure that as much money as possible goes towards upgrading the transport infrastructure and that as many jobs and building contracts as is practical go to local companies as City did with building the Etihad Campus. They could also stipulate that there needs to be a certain amount of social housing or other community initiatives, like Connell College and the sports centre, if they are allowed to expand. I'm not sure how it would work for them though as I don't know who owns the land around there, they may have to go down the road of compulsory purchase orders like Spurs did. I think we had to apply for a couple of compulsory orders too but mostly the land was derelict and council owned which is why we got it for fuck all on the proviso we build public services along with everything else for the club.
