Cllr Garry Bridges is set to be appointed as the new Leader of Manchester City Council at a special meeting this week (Thursday 3 September, 6pm).
Cllr Bridges succeeds Cllr Bev Craig, who was elected as Greater Manchester Mayor in July, having previously served as statutory Deputy Leader since 2024. Subject to confirmation at the full Council meeting, he will take up the political leadership of the Council.
The Leader has ultimate responsibility for setting the long-term vision for the Council at the heart of Manchester’s ongoing inclusive growth, leading a team of Executive (Cabinet) members. He will represent the Council – and the city – at regional, national and international levels.
Cllr Bridges’ political priority has been ensuring that Manchester’s young people have the best start in life and have the opportunities, through work and skills, to share in the city’s success.
Prior to becoming Deputy Leader in 2024, Cllr Bridges had held the position of Executive Member for Children and Schools and overseen significant improvements across children’s services – which are now rated Outstanding by Ofsted. This included championing free school meals during the pandemic, Council Tax exemptions for care leavers, and driving Manchester’s successful Year of the Child programme that helped secure the UNICEF Child Friendly City status.
His commitment has been accentuated by his role as a parent to two toddlers, a daughter (aged three) and a son (aged four.)
As Deputy Leader, he has worked across major strategic priorities including regeneration, culture, community cohesion and regional partnership working.
Overall, he has more than a decade of experience in local government, having been first elected as a councillor for the city’s Old Moat ward in 2015.
He has represented Manchester on a number of regional and national bodies, including the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Local Government Association.
His outlook is also shaped by his experience growing up in a council maisonette in Smethwick in the West Midlands, originally in a council maisonette, before seeing his parents gain skills in adulthood to develop their careers while raising their children. He is determined to extend the opportunities for residents to get skills and employment support.
After moving to Manchester to study, Cllr Bridges worked in retail and call centre roles before working alongside MPs in a range of positions. This experience working directly with residents across Manchester has allowed him to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges facing communities across the city.
Cllr Bridges said: “I’m honoured to be chosen as the new Leader of Manchester City Council. I promise to give my all to the city I love, on behalf of everyone who calls Manchester home.
“Manchester is an incredible place to be, and we’ve shown what it’s possible to achieve in a city, with our economy growing well above the national rate.
“We’ve done this through a clear strategy and our manifesto that puts our city first. For most of that time we’ve achieved this with our hands tied behind our backs, with a series of governments making things more difficult.
“Despite what we’ve achieved, there is much more to do. A growing economy must benefit the people who live in our city.
“We’ve made progress but too many people struggle to pay their bills, to get affordable housing or to get the skills they need to secure the jobs they want.
“Working with the new Prime Minister and the new Greater Manchester Mayor, putting this right is my top priority.
“Our social house building programme is the biggest in decades but we’ll be making the case to the new Government that we can – and must – build more.
“At a time when the country sees so much division and bad political actors looking to create more, I’m determined that Manchester continues to be built on tolerance, respect and shared civic pride in the city we love. There’s a lot to do to make that a reality and I’ll work with all communities to that end.
“We want our city to be a place where young people grow up with hope and aspiration that they can be whatever they want, right here in our city. We want the jobs of the future to be created here, and for them to be able to afford to stay and put down roots in a city which is affordable and liveable. We’re attracting huge numbers of jobs, and we need to make sure our residents are first in line to get those opportunities.
“Throughout austerity, the people of Manchester put up with a lot. Poverty skyrocketed and public services faced cut upon cut. Now our budgets are beginning to see improvement, I’m determined that people also see improvements in the things they rely on – from services that care for vulnerable residents, to running their parks and libraries and emptying their bins.
“I want Mancunians to know that the Council I lead is on their side and the future we’re looking to create is one they all share in. I look forward to the challenges ahead.”
Tom Stannard, Chief Executive of Manchester City Council, said: “I am delighted with the news that Cllr Garry Bridges will become Manchester City Council's new Leader. Having worked closely with him in recent years I know his passion and dedication for our city, and for every person who calls Manchester home, is second to none.
“Manchester is on the crest of a wave, we enjoy a growing global reputation, our population is growing at a remarkable rate, and we have matured into one of the key engines of growth in the UK and beyond. We stand to benefit from even further devolution supporting our people and our regional economy. And while we have much to celebrate, we know that we can go further and deliver more to ensure that everyone who lives in this city has the chance to thrive.
“I am really looking forward to working with Garry in the years ahead to continue build on what has already been achieved and go even further towards realising the city’s full potential.”