HOUSING AND jobs are what will make Ashton’s youth “flourish,” according to Angela Rayner – as she staunchly backs Bev Craig for Greater Manchester Mayor.
The newly-reappointed housing secretary joined Labour’s candidate to replace new Prime Minister Andy Burnham on the campaign trail as the latter toured her ‘battle bus’ through Curzon Ashton FC.
But just days after rejoining the cabinet under the former mayor, Ms Rayner said she still remains committed to her constituency of Ashton-under-Lyne and that more homes and job opportunities are what the area needs to thrive.
“It’s fantastic to have Andy Burnham as prime minister now, because he gets that we need more devolution so that we can build the homes we desperately need,” she told The Correspondent.
“We’ve already seen an uptick in social and council houses being built here in Tameside. It’s important to get that house building going and bring jobs to areas like Tameside so our young people don’t have to move out of the area to get those good jobs.”
Tameside Council’s ‘Home, Spaces, Places’ plan last year earmarked 9,700 new homes in the borough to be built before 2042, which would include a “mix” of affordable homes.
Meanwhile only two years prior, the council announced plans to transform Ashton Moss into a centre for science and technology, promising thousands of new jobs in manufacturing and engineering.
The Ashton Moss Innovation Park will include an employment hub, park, and a potential train station, but will be built largely on green belt land.
Ms Rayner says she believes the development will bring more opportunities to local people – but adds that she believes brownfield land should be prioritised going forward.
“In Tameside, we’ve got lots of brownfield sites, and our policy is to build on brownfield first,” she added.
“We’ve got a big site on Jonathan Reynolds’ patch, Godley Green, which does have a very limited amount of greenfield. But by unlocking the rest of that site, we can have hundreds of homes built while still safeguarding the beautiful green rolling lands that we’ve got here.
“We’ve got fantastic greenery around Tameside, and that of course will be protected as part of that process.
“I really want to see Ashton Moss developed so that people that go to Ashton Sixth Form or Tameside College – as my children do – have the opportunity to flourish here in Ashton-under-Lyne.”
Ms Rayner’s plans for more housing around Tameside matches promises made by Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig, who the MP has backed in the race to become Mayor of Greater Manchester.
Craig recently vowed to build 50,000 affordable homes across Greater Manchester, separate to the plans made by Tameside Council.
She said 10,000 of these will be built before 2032 if she is elected as Greater Manchester Mayor on Thursday, July 30, though is not the only candidate to promise more housing.
“Every single plan I make is about making life better for people in Tameside,” Craig told The Correspondent.
“I talk a lot about putting more money in people’s pockets, using the leverage we have make life cheaper and make life easier – and that’s things like fee bus passes for 11- to 18-year olds, things like affordable homes, and things about getting our young people into good jobs.
“But particularly when I talk to communities in places like Tameside, I’m also really keen that we’ve got so many town centres and high streets that people don’t always feel are as good as they could be.
“So, I’ve announced a new High Streets Fund that I want to help our high streets and support our local businesses, but I’ll also continue the work that I’ve started with the Mayoral Development Corporation for Ashton.
“I’m making a clear pitch that every single bit of Greater Manchester will have something on offer.”
Also standing for election are Sian Astley (Reform UK), Geraldine Coggins (Green), Phil Eckersley (Conservative), Marcus Farmer (Independent), Richard Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats) and Marlon Scott West (Restore Britain).