GMCA reshuffles Dennett and Cooney to deal with housing issues

Salford Mayor Paul Dennett will take on the new role of portfolio lead for Housing First, covering homelessness and affordable homes, while Tameside Council Leader Cllr Gerald Cooney will be the portfolio lead for Greater Manchester Pension Fund Investments.

Dennett was previously portfolio holder for healthy lives and homelessness, while Cllr Cooney was the portfolio lead for housing.

Dennett will now lead the mission to deliver 75,000 homes in the city region over the duration of the current Parliament.

A proposed cross-sector Housing First Unit for Greater Manchester will be initiated to achieve this goal.

It will aim to end the housing crisis in the combined authority by 2038.

Housing First will attempt to tackle a range of issues, particularly in the private rented sector where it has identified many low-quality homes.

To do this, the initiative states that poor quality homes must be considered as a health inequality.

This initiative will build on the Housing First pilot which was launched in 2019.

Key areas to target will be ensuring Greater Manchester continues to build homes, specifically affordable and single-occupancy accommodation, as well as the provision of tailored support for homeless people.

Dennett said: “Here in Salford, we’ve worked innovatively to tackle the housing crisis, building hundreds of high-quality, affordable, sustainable homes through our council-owned development company Dérive.

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said of the appointment: “Deputy Mayor Dennett will now return to the housing portfolio to drive forward our ambitious plan to deliver 75,000 new homes in the city region over the next five years and lead on our new Housing First unit, with a clear goal of providing a healthy home for everyone in Greater Manchester.”

• Paul Dennett will be speaking at Place North’s Question Time in November, get tickets here.

Tameside’s Cooney, has been appointed as portfolio lead for GMPF Investments and The Bee Network Pension Scheme.

He will be charged with maximising the potential of the GMPF as a means of economic growth.

Cooney will also develop a proposal for a Bee Network pension scheme.

The GMPF has demonstrated how money invested by workers in their pensions can drive regeneration and contribute to development projects while simultaneously providing strong returns for pension fund members.

According to the Good Economy, an independent impact advisory services firm, the GMPF’s local investment portfolio has so far given financial support to 162 businesses, creating 2,700 jobs.

The portfolio has also invested £173m into nine funds that have since provided over 3,500 homes. With two thirds being in the North West.

The Bee Network pension scheme, developed by Cooney in a drive to make working on the Bee Network more attractive, will be open to staff from any Bee Network operator.

On his appointment he stated: “The [GMPF] is the largest of its kind in the country and uses 40% of its firepower to invest in UK PLC.

“It offers a unique vehicle to turbocharge growth and investment in our city region.”

On Cooney’s appointment, Burnham said: “The new portfolio managing the GMPF, [will be] essential in enabling us to boost economic growth and investment across the region, supporting the Government in their mission to secure productivity growth in every part of the country so everyone, not just a few, are better off.”

He continued: “I look forward to working together with all our leaders to make a positive difference to the lives of people who live, work, and visit our city region.”