The Manchester City Council met on Wednesday 15 July 2026 to discuss urgent key decisions, review the Council's constitution and committee appointments, and consider several notices of motion. Key decisions made included the approval of urgent contracts for electricity and gas supplies, and the award of a temporary Home from Hospital contract.

Urgent Key Decisions

The Council noted a report detailing urgent key decisions taken since the last meeting, which were exempt from the normal call-in procedure due to reasons of urgency. These decisions primarily related to the procurement of essential services.

• Provider(s) for the provision of insurance coverage: A decision was made on 19 March 2026 to appoint providers for insurance coverage. The urgency was due to the complexity of the procurement process taking longer than anticipated, with existing contracts expiring on 31 March 2026. The decision ensured continuity of insurance coverage and protection against financial risk, with new contracts commencing on 1 April 2026. This decision was taken by the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer and approved by Councillor Andrew Simcock, Chair of Scrutiny.

• Fixed-term contract for electricity supply to MCC's corporate estate (including street lighting): A decision was made on 17 March 2026 to call off a fixed-term contract for electricity supply from 1 April 2026 to 31 May 2026. The urgency stemmed from the need to secure a contract before the existing one expired on 31 March 2026, to avoid out-of-contract rates. The decision was taken by the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer and approved by Councillor Andrew Simcock, Chair of Scrutiny. The report highlighted the volatility of electricity wholesale markets, influenced by geopolitical events, and the need to secure competitive rates.

• Fixed-term contract for electricity supply to Manchester City Council's Associated Sites portfolio: On 2 July 2026, a decision was made to call off a fixed-term contract for electricity supply to associated sites from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. Similar to the corporate estate contract, the urgency was driven by the impending expiry of the current contract and the volatile electricity market. This decision was taken by the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer and approved by Councillor Andrew Simcock, Scrutiny Chair.

• Fixed-term contract for electricity supply to MCC's corporate estate (including street lighting) - backdated: On 2 June 2026, a decision was made to call off a fixed-term electricity contract backdated from 1 June 2026 to 31 August 2026. The urgency was to ensure the portfolio did not fall into out-of-contract rates and to align with the go-live of the Corporate PPA. This decision was taken by the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer and approved by Councillor Sam Wheeler, Scrutiny Chair. The report detailed the impact of Middle Eastern conflicts on wholesale prices and the need to secure favourable rates amidst market volatility.

• Fixed-term contract for the supply of gas to MCC's corporate estate: On 2 July 2026, a decision was made to call off a fixed-term gas contract from 1 March 2026 to 31 March 2027. The urgency was due to the increasing volatility of the gas wholesale market and the need to secure competitive pricing before the current contract expired. This decision was taken by the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer and approved by Councillor Andrew Simcock, Scrutiny Chair. The report noted that while gas wholesale markets had reduced due to improved supply routes and milder temperatures, recent extreme weather and geopolitical tensions had increased prices.

• Temporary Home from Hospital contract to Age UK Manchester: On 30 June 2026, a decision was made to award a temporary Home from Hospital contract to Age UK Manchester, commencing on 1 July 2026. The urgency was to ensure service continuity for Manchester residents. The contract, originally intended to start in January 2026, was delayed due to technical procurement reasons. The net cost to the Council was £88,000 per annum, with significant funding from the NHS. This decision was taken by the Strategic Director of Adult Social Care and approved by Councillor Basil Curley, Chair of Health Scrutiny.

Notices of Motion

The Council considered several notices of motion, reflecting significant policy directions and community concerns.

• A New Era for Manchester: This motion, proposed by Councillor Karney and seconded by Councillor Richards, welcomed the Prime Minister Andy Burnham's vision for a new era of government focused on public services and good growth. The Council resolved to meet with the Prime Minister and the new Mayor of Greater Manchester to ensure Manchester is at the forefront of these changes, develop implementation plans, and work with No.10 North to become an early adopter of new policies. The motion declared Manchester's readiness to lead in this new era of devolution.

• Manchester delivers a record number of new social and affordable homes: Proposed by Councillor White and seconded by Councillor Lynch, this motion highlighted Manchester's commitment to housing, noting a record 901 affordable homes were built in 2025/2026. The Council resolved to continue working with partners to deliver more social, council, and affordable homes, urging cross-party support. It also called for collaboration with the new Mayor of Greater Manchester and Prime Minister to secure funding, accelerate the Renters' Rights Team, and for the government to devolve powers for rent caps and controls in the private rented sector.

• Confronting the Normalisation of Far-Right Rhetoric and Safeguarding Manchester's Equalities Framework: Proposed by Councillor Abdullatif and seconded by Councillor Salem, this motion condemned the rise in organised far-right activity, Islamophobia, and anti-migrant rhetoric. It noted recent incidents of violence and the amplification of such rhetoric through social media and political figures. The Council resolved to request a scrutiny committee report on the resilience of the Council's equalities duties against potential weakening of national protections, write to the Greater Manchester Mayor and Combined Authority regarding a coordinated regional response, and request the Manchester Community Safety Partnership to prioritise far-right radicalisation and hate crime. The motion also reaffirmed support for the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Human Rights Act 1998.

• Pension Divestment Survey: Proposed by Councillor Asanga-Rae and seconded by Councillor Syed, this motion expressed concern over the Greater Manchester Pension Fund's (GMPF) investments in arms companies. The Council noted that GMPF had not consulted its members on these investments and had not acted on previous motions to divest from weapons companies and fossil fuels. The Council resolved to request GMPF to survey council employees who are scheme members regarding their investment preferences, work with GMPF to devise a divestment plan, and make the survey results public.

Other Business

The Council also received minutes from various committees, including the Executive, Scrutiny Committees, Licensing Committee, Planning Committee, Personnel Committee, Health and Wellbeing Board, Audit Committee, and Standards Committee. These minutes covered a wide range of operational and strategic matters, including budget outturns, capital programme updates, policy reviews, and committee appointments. Notably, the Executive approved changes to the capital programme, including funding for temporary accommodation and highway maintenance, and adopted the revised Empty Homes Strategy. The Planning Committee considered numerous planning applications, including proposals for new housing, commercial units, and a place of worship. The Audit Committee reviewed internal audit reports and the draft annual governance statement, while the Standards Committee discussed the Gifts and Hospitality Policy and the Member/Officer Relations Protocol.