THE MOST VIBRANT CITY IN BRITAIN

Manchester Labour is establishing Manchester as a world class cultural and sporting City. We seek to provide a unique Mancunian cultural offer for all our children and young people in the City.

Manchester Labour is committed to Library services in the City. They improve life long learning opportunities and give access to the highest quality information services and educational opportunities. We will ensure where possible the council extend library opening hours. We will bring plans forward to remodel the service and where possible remodel or rebuild every Library in the City in conjunction with our partners. The launch of the homework club at Miles Platting Library has seen a transformation of the building into a place alive with young people.  The new Forum Library in Wythenshawe has been a great success attracting a wider range and larger number of library users, particularly younger people and has seen membership, book borrowing and computer use grow significantly.  This is the sort of initiative to improve all our local libraries that has been demanded by Labour Councillors.

Manchester Labour will increase the numbers of parks achieving green flag status in the city over the next two years to improve on last years record breaking 21Green Flag successes. Everyone of our parks should give local communities a sense of place and individual identity, with an increased use of sport, culture and music.

We will bring plans forward to increase the range of cultural, sporting and other activities accessible by all to improve health outcomes for Manchester people.

Manchester Labour will continue to support Manchester International Festival, developing it into a world class cultural event and attract other national and international sporting and cultural events to the city. We will build on Manchester World Sport ’08 and bring forward plans to attract world class sporting events to Manchester to 2014 and beyond.

We will look to improve upon our unrivalled sporting infrastructure such as constructing a new indoor BMX facility at Sport City and attract other sporting infrastructure and sports governing bodies to the City.

Manchester Labour supports the City’s Cultural economy – Manchester’s music scene including Manchester’s musical heritage, the Northern Quarter, new media and creative industries in the City and high quality community festivals. We will continue to support the Halle in its 150th year, the redevelopment of Band-on–the Wall and the Craft and Design Centre in the City.

Manchester Labour will continue to develop museums and galleries’ contribution to improving educational attainment, the tourism economy and the cultural profile of the city for the benefit of the residents and visitors.

Manchester has now become a “Fair Trade City” and we will use this to underline how we are committed to using the Labour Council’s purchasing power for social, ethical and environmental good.  We will encourage businesses and schools to become “Fair Trade Friendly”.