RT @MENnewsdesk: Council to spend £4.7m on THOUSANDS of new homes in Greater Manchester borough

RT @MENnewsdesk: The local authority has deemed the building surplus to requirements

Join millions who have switched to Grok.

RT @DamonWilkinson6: I’m at the Bury College campus on Market Street on the outskirts of Bury town centre, where a murder investigation is….

RT @MENnewsdesk: Greater Manchester has its third Reform councillor after ex-Tory leader defects

There is a new Reform politician in Greater Manchester. Nigel Farage's party has made a big coup by bringing in the experience of Rochdale's ex-Tory leader @MENnewsdesk @RochdaleNews .

RT @PJLynchjourno: For 2 months I have received online trolling when reporting on Hillingdon Council. Now, the council are making similar “….

RT @MENnewsdesk: 'Our little oasis in the middle of what looks like Alcatraz'

I went back to Lower Falinge recently to see how the fight to stop demolition was going. Here is a flavour of what residents living next to the demolition site have to say about it ⁦@MENnewsdesk⁩

RT @DeclanGCarey: Just been on BBC Radio Manchester speaking about Salford council’s decision to delay plans to build Greater Manchester’s….

The township committee chair reports have all been moved. The questions to them have been pushed into the township committee meetings as it wasn't deemed necessary to answer them at full council. That concludes the meeting. after more than 3 hours and 35 minutes.

Coun Farooq Ahmed has asked: "You say the Housing Strategy is being co-produced, but when will a draft be published? How are you ensuring it addresses affordability, not just supply?.The answer from Danny Meredith: No date has been given yet. But affordability will be included.

The answer from Coun Meredith: We don't hold this information. The Home Office controls this.

We've got through a few questions for the finance and highways bosses. Now we're onto Coun Daniel Meredith - regeneration and housing cabinet member. Coun Taylor asks: "How many asylum seekers are there living in the borough?".

Coun O'Rourke went on to say "It was unacceptable that council staff were plastered on the front of social media and were attacked. "Those people should hang their heads in shame. Frankly that was a disgrace. Experienced people should know better.".

The response from Coun O'Rourke said he was disappointed to hear this question. He said this process at the by-election was that when a mistake happened it was identified straight away. He adds that all the investigation agents came back by saying the mistake was corrected.

Now questions to governance boss Liam O'Rourke. Coun Taylor asks: "I, like many others have read in the press how a complaint has been made into how the Balderstone By-election was conducted. How is the investigation being progressed and when do you expect it to be completed?".

Coun Emmott says a meeting to address the issue will be convened ASAP.

Communities boss Sue Smith is unwell, so Coun Emmott is answering her questions. Coun Kelly wants to know what the council is doing to help Heywood Amateur Musical and Dramatic Society - who face being displaced due to higher rent costs at Heywood Civic and Middleton Arena.

The response from Coun I.Ahmed says this is because of increase the access to reporting issues. This has been seen as a positive betterment of practice, he adds.

Now we're on questions for adults and wellbeing boss Iftikhar Ahmed. Coun Farooq Ahmed asks: "You report a 206% increase in safeguarding concerns. Is this a sign of improved reporting or a failure in prevention?".