My week started with a couple of cancelations in my diary, which meant that I spent much of Monday reading reports that will be tabled at the next meeting of Trafford Council’s Executive.  However, I also had the opportunity to discuss Old Trafford Regeneration with a journalist from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung- clearly Manchester United’s news from last month continues to attract international attention!

On Tuesday I joined Trafford Council colleagues at our latest round of ‘Let’s Talk’ events.  We aim to hold these events every quarter and they provide an opportunity for our employees from across a diverse range of services to come together.  My segment this time focussed on my experience of increasing the number of times I cycle to the Town Hall, including how I’ve adapted and the benefits making that change have had.  It’s not something everyone can do but it was a change I could make and it does translate into health, financial and environmental benefits.  I’m still not car free, but I’m trying to increase cycling bit by bit (as well as using the bus a lot more than I used to!).

On Wednesday I had the pleasure of visiting Brentwood School in Sale.  It’s been a couple of years since my last visit and this time I was there to see the progress the school is making with their expansion. Construction of their new extension is well underway, and I joined Brentwood students and staff in trying my hand at bricklaying.  As ever with such skills, bricklaying is a lot harder that it looks but it was fun to try!  It was also great to hear how the contractor, Galiford Try, has forged such a strong relationship with the Brentwood School community- a relationship that will continue after the project is complete.  This is a very important project from the council’s perspective as it expands much-needed places for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Later that day I visited Emerge Recycling at their base in Openshaw.  I was there with my Green City-Region hat on.  It was good to learn about how, over many years, Emerge have contributed and championed the circular economy.  It was very interesting to learn more about their wood upcycling and recycling initiative, as well as discussing how their work fits in with several Greater Manchester policy strands.

The Greater Manchester theme continued into Thursday morning when I chaired a meeting of the Green City-Region Partnership.  Highlights of this meeting included an update on the Integrated Water Management Plan, tying up the previous Five Year Environment Plan, and commencing our new Plan.  You can learn more about the meeting here.

Finally, on Friday I caught up with Liz Cooper, who is the Partnership Director at Emirates Old Trafford.  I then had one of my regular meetings with Connor Rand, who has had exceptionally busy first year as the Member of Parliament for Altrincham and Sale West.  Connor continues to be a passionate advocate for his constituents, and we continue to work closely on shared opportunities and issues.  I then spent the last part of the afternoon in the sunshine on the doorstep in my ward.