The Communities and Equalities Scrutiny Committee of Manchester Council met on Wednesday 22 July 2026 to discuss progress on the Age Friendly Manchester strategy and to review the annual monitoring report for the Manchester Housing Strategy (2022-2032). The committee also received an overview report detailing key decisions and the committee's work programme.

Age Friendly Manchester – Delivery Progress Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the progress of Manchester's age-friendly strategy, Manchester: A City for Life 2023-2028. This strategy aims to make Manchester a better place for residents to grow older, focusing on four key themes: being heard and age equality, age-friendly neighbourhoods, age-friendly services, and age-friendly work, skills, and money. The report indicated that progress was generally on track across these themes.

Key areas of focus included:

• Being Heard and Age Equality: This theme highlighted the election of new members to the Age Friendly Manchester Board and the appointment of a new Chair and Deputy Chair. The report noted efforts to increase the diversity of board members and to embed older people's voices in city life and decision-making, including engagement with the Health Determinants Research Collaboration and the City Centre Neighbourhoods Team. A new workplan, Age Friendly Culture: Doing Things Differently, was launched, and AFM Libraries were recognised nationally for good practice. The report also detailed initiatives to drive digital inclusion, such as distributing tablets and data packages to older residents.
• Age-Friendly Neighbourhoods: The report detailed work to create neighbourhoods that support healthy ageing, with a focus on embedding age-friendly principles into local systems and infrastructure. The Live Well Later in Life programme, funded by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), was highlighted for its neighbourhood-based, co-production approach in Miles Platting and Newton Heath, Harpurhey, and Moston. The Pride in Place scheme was also mentioned, aiming to create vibrant neighbourhoods. Planning was underway for an Age Friendly Housing event.
• Age-Friendly Services: This theme focused on embedding age-friendly principles into service design and delivery. The Gather, Eat, Move (GEM) programme, which supported older residents in improving nutrition, movement, and social connections, was reported as completed with positive feedback. Work was also progressing on mental health support for older men and ensuring climate change communications included messaging for older people. The AFM Culture Working Group launched its renewed three-year workplan, and GLL Leisure Centres began offering free swimming lessons for older people. Efforts were also being made to develop and build capacity around falls prevention through coordinated work with various partners.
• Age-Friendly Work, Skills & Money: This theme addressed economic inequalities facing older residents. The report noted that Manchester City Council had signed the Age Friendly Employer Pledge and was developing its own action plan. The AFM Team was delivering Age Friendly training to Manchester Work Clubs, and the Volunteer Centre hosted drop-ins for over 50s. A pilot Attendance Allowance uptake campaign was also starting with four GP practices.

The committee was recommended to consider and comment on the progress reported.

Manchester Housing Strategy (2022-2032) – Annual Monitoring Report 2025-26

The committee was scheduled to review the annual monitoring report for the Manchester Housing Strategy (2022-2032). This strategy sets out the council's vision for delivering housing priorities, focusing on four key areas: increasing affordable housing supply, ending homelessness and ensuring affordability, addressing inequalities and creating desirable neighbourhoods, and tackling sustainability and zero-carbon challenges.

The report provided an update on progress against the strategy's objectives during the 2025-26 financial year, highlighting key achievements and targets:

• Increasing Affordable Housing Supply: The report indicated that 4,766 new homes were built in 2025-26, including 901 affordable homes. This brought the total number of homes delivered during the strategy period to 13,555, with 2,430 affordable homes completed. The report noted a significant increase in social rent delivery and highlighted the role of council-owned land in driving affordable housing development. The city centre was identified as a key area for residential delivery.
• Ending Homelessness and Ensuring Affordability: The report discussed Manchester's approach to affordability, including the national definition of affordable housing and the Manchester Living Rent initiative. It noted that rental inflation had stabilised and that new initiatives, such as Discounted Market Rent (DMR) homes for key workers, were being explored. The report also indicated a reduction in the number of households on the Housing Register and a slight increase in households in temporary accommodation, though numbers remained below previous peaks. Efforts to increase the supply of supported housing to meet demand were also detailed.
• Addressing Inequalities and Creating Desirable Neighbourhoods: The report highlighted the ongoing challenge of overcrowding, particularly in areas with a high number of overcrowded households. It detailed progress in delivering larger family homes and promoting right-sizing to free up family housing. The report also discussed efforts to improve the safety, quality, and management of private rented sector homes, referencing the impact of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and the council's selective licensing programme.
• Addressing Sustainability and Zero-Carbon Challenges: The report outlined progress on retrofitting homes to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. It noted challenges in achieving ambitious targets due to funding restrictions, skills shortages, and the complexity of retrofitting older properties. The report also detailed efforts to increase the proportion of low and zero-carbon homes in the affordable housing pipeline and ensure estate regeneration projects were directed by zero-carbon principles.

The committee was recommended to consider and note the progress made towards the ambitions set out in the Housing Strategy.

Overview Report

The committee was also scheduled to receive an overview report from the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit. This report typically includes a monitor of previous recommendations, details of key decisions relevant to the committee's remit, and the committee's work programme. The committee was asked to agree any necessary changes to its work programme.