The Economy Scrutiny Committee met to review the council's Economy Dashboard and to agree its work programme for the upcoming year. Members discussed the reliability of the data presented in the dashboard, the council's population figures, and the nuances of measuring economic impact at a ward level.

Economy Dashboard

The committee reviewed the council's quarterly Economy Dashboard, a comprehensive report detailing 39 metrics used to track Manchester's economic performance and progress towards the Our Manchester Strategy and the Economic Strategy, Investing in Success. Councillor Hussayn Salem, Chair of the Economy Scrutiny Committee, opened the discussion by highlighting the committee's role in scrutinising economic growth and ensuring residents benefit from it.

A key area of discussion was the reliability of the data presented in the dashboard. Tim Robinson, from the council's Performance, Research and Intelligence team, explained that while all data has caveats, efforts are made to be transparent about its limitations. He noted that much of the data is sourced from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and is subject to official regulation. Councillor John Flanagan raised concerns about the data's accuracy, particularly regarding the significant swing in the employment rate. Robinson acknowledged these concerns, explaining that the ONS is developing a Transformed Labour Force Survey (TLFS) due for release in 2027 to address some of these issues. He also mentioned that the council uses other data sources, such as Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) data, to corroborate findings. Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of the Council, added that the council often challenges the ONS's population figures, believing Manchester's population to be higher than officially recorded, and that the council conducts its own population modelling.

Members also discussed the importance of understanding economic data at a more granular level. Councillor Dylan Evans highlighted the need to see data broken down by ward and deprivation levels, as city-wide averages can mask inequalities. The Performance and Insight Lead confirmed that work is ongoing to measure the actual impact of economic growth on residents, which could be incorporated into future dashboard versions. Councillor Shazia Butt, Executive Member for Culture, Libraries and Leisure, noted that the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) provides ward-level deprivation data.

The discussion also touched upon the measurement of footfall in the city centre and district centres. Councillor Flanagan pointed out potential inaccuracies due to the placement of monitoring devices and suggested that future reports include maps to clarify measurement locations. Councillor Mandie Shilton Godwin, Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport, acknowledged that current footfall data might not always reflect overall activity in district centres and that a tendering process is underway to improve data capture.

Councillor Thirza Amina Asanga-Rae raised concerns about the race and gender gaps in employment and asked for more detail on how the council is supporting young people not in education, employment or training (NEET). The Director of Inclusive Economy confirmed that ONS and DWP data on employment by age and gender is reliable, and that ethnicity data is more recent and less reliable. Further details on this would be provided in an update on the Work and Skills Strategy. It was also noted that a programme is in place to support NEET young people aged 16 and 17, which has led to a reduction in unknown post-16 destinations.

Overview Report and Work Programme

The committee also received an overview report detailing key decisions within its remit, responses to previous recommendations, and the committee's work programme. Councillor Salem noted that the work programme would be discussed in more detail during a private session following the meeting. The committee agreed to note the report and the work programme.

The meeting concluded with Councillor Salem thanking the members, officers, and the public for their attendance.