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Manchester voters have their say

01/05/2008

Council seats across Greater Manchester are up for grabs today as voters turn out to shape the future direction of the city-region via the ballot box.

Polls opened this morning and will remain open until 22:00 BST. A third of the seats on all ten local authorities are being contested.

Although the council elections in Greater Manchester are a chance for residents to help determine local policy, it is likely that many will use it as an opportunity to deliver their verdict on Gordon Brown's first nine months in office.

The abolition of the 10p tax rate and the subsequent uncertainty regarding compensation for poorly-paid taxpayers could be bad news for local Labour councillors, especially as many wards comprise heavily of working class voters on low incomes.

Salford MP and cabinet member Hazel Blears has done her best to rally support in her city and in the rest of England and Wales but it remains to be seen whether this has influenced voters.

The controversial decision by the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities to introduce a congestion charge across the city-region is also likely to influence the outcome of the elections.

Only last week, Conservative councillors in Bolton wanted to withdraw the borough from the road toll scheme.

However, they were prevented by Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors, who agreed to hold public referendum on the issue instead.