The Communities and Equalities Scrutiny Committee met on Wednesday 3 June 2026. The committee approved the minutes from their previous meeting held on 4 March 2026 as a correct record.

Overview Report and Work Programme

The committee received an overview report from the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit, which provided an update on actions taken in response to previous recommendations, details of key decisions within the committee's remit, and an overview of the committee's work programme. The committee noted that they would be discussing the work programme in more detail during a private session following the formal meeting. An updated work programme, reflecting these discussions, will be circulated for the next meeting. The committee noted the report and agreed the work programme, with specific comments.

Councillor Alan Good declared a personal interest in this item as he is employed by an organisation that operates within the Citywide Advice Contract.

The Communities and Equalities Scrutiny Committee examines the work of the Council and its partners relating to reducing levels of crime, community cohesion, older people, and equality and inclusion. The committee's role is to scrutinise how decisions, policies, and services impact the city and its residents, making recommendations to decision-makers. The committee's work programme for the forthcoming year was discussed and noted.

The committee's previous year's activities, as detailed in the 2025/26 End of Year Summary, included scrutinising crime and public safety, homelessness, support for disabled residents, the Age Friendly Strategy, voluntary and community sector funding, and sport and physical activity provisions. They also reviewed the Council's libraries service and digital inclusion work. The committee noted concerns over officer abstraction rates within neighbourhood policing and looked forward to an update on the impact of additional Neighbourhood Officers. They also made a recommendation that the concerns of young people, the LGBTQ+ community, disabled people, and those from areas of high deprivation be explicitly referenced in the Community Safety Strategy 2026-29.

The committee also reviewed the Council's approach to the safety of women and girls, supported the Healthy Schools programme, and agreed to continue promoting the Night-time Safety Charter. A visit was undertaken to the city's Youth Justice service, and a recommendation was made to provide a named contact for each ward to support residents benefiting from prevention and early intervention initiatives.

In relation to support for disabled residents, the committee welcomed collaborative efforts with the Manchester Disability Collaborative and discussed how disabled people are supported to enter employment and how poverty rates for disabled people are being addressed. They also raised issues regarding the lack of pedestrian crossings and pavements between Wythenshawe Hospital and the tram stop with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

The committee also scrutinised the delivery of Manchester's Age Friendly Strategy and welcomed the acceptance of their recommendation for an Age Friendly summit. They reviewed the allocation of the Our Manchester Voluntary and Community Sector (OMVCS) funding programme and monitored the impact of the VCSE Infrastructure Contract with Macc. The committee also scrutinised the impact of the Neighbourhood Investment Fund (NIF) and urged consideration for increasing the available funding.

Homelessness remained a key focus, with improvements noted in the Homelessness service, including engagement with private rented sector landlords and new temporary accommodation schemes. The committee expressed a desire to scrutinise this area further, with a particular request for a report on the impact of the Renters' Rights Act.

The committee also reviewed the progress of the Building Stronger Communities Together Strategy and the Community Recovery Fund, highlighting the importance of this work in the aftermath of the summer 2024 disorder. They queried how the Council addressed the spread of misinformation online and what work was undertaken with perpetrators of the disorder.

Finally, the committee scrutinised sport and physical activity provisions, including progress against various strategies and cycling provisions within the city. They noted the new Outdoor Learning and Adventurous Activity Strategy for executive approval and adoption. The committee also commended Manchester libraries and noted the recent announcement of extended opening hours and additional investment into the Book Fund.

The committee's discussions and decisions are documented in the Printed minutes of the Communities and Equalities Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 3 June 2026¹.