A 'proud moment' for Greater Manchester - but what difference does it make?

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

The government has announced a huge handover of power to regions across England as they follow Greater Manchester's lead. The English Devolution White Paper, unveiled by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner today (December 16), sets out a new way for mayors to run transport, housing and education.

The move will also give Andy Burnham some new powers in Greater Manchester. The Greater Manchester mayor has hailed the announcement as a 'proud moment' for the city-region which has pioneered English devolution.

And while Mr Burnham did not get everything he wanted, he says the move will allow the city-region to do 'much more'. READ MORE: Calls for towns to become part of Greater Manchester amid major local government shake-up Under the plans, the mayor will have the power to intervene on developments, allowing him to overturn decisions on planning applications that have been rejected by local councillors.

He will also have more control over funding to build affordable housing. The White Paper also opens the door for the mayor to take control of train stations and redevelop the areas around them.