Phil Eckersley
Conservative Party
1. What would you do as Mayor to make sure Greater Manchester is age-friendly and a good place to grow older?
For the past 16 years, I have run a business that supports older people to live as independently as possible within their communities and, wherever possible, in their own homes.
That experience has taught me that becoming older should not mean losing your independence, your choices or your connection to the community around you. It has also shown me that relatively small interventions, provided at the right time, can prevent a person’s health from deteriorating and reduce the likelihood of them needing hospital or residential care.
As Mayor, I would make ageing well a consideration across every major area of policy, including transport, housing, policing, regeneration, skills and public services.
I would:
-
continue Greater Manchester’s commitment to being an age-friendly city region, but introduce clearer, publicly reported measures of progress;
-
work with all ten boroughs so that age-friendly policies are not concentrated in only a few areas;
-
make public transport safer, more reliable and more accessible;
-
support community organisations that reduce loneliness and help older residents remain active;
-
encourage employers to recognise the experience and value of older workers;
-
ensure older people are directly involved in developing the policies that affect them.
Greater Manchester already has an Age-Friendly Strategy running to 2034 and an established Ageing Hub. I would retain what is working, properly evaluate what is not and publish the results so residents can see whether promises are actually being delivered.
My approach would be simple: listen to older people, support independence and judge every initiative on whether it produces a meaningful improvement in people’s lives.
2. What would you do to make sure that wherever people live in Greater Manchester, and whatever their background or economic status, they can access the support and services they need?
There should not be a postcode lottery in the support available to older residents.
Through my work supporting older people and their families, I regularly see how financial hardship, social isolation, poor transport, unsuitable housing and difficulty navigating public services can combine. Digital technology can make services easier for some people, but it can also create another barrier for residents who do not have internet access, suitable equipment or confidence using online systems.
As Mayor, I would work with the ten councils, NHS Greater Manchester, community organisations, housing providers and voluntary groups to establish clearer and more consistent routes into support.
I would press for:
-
a “no wrong door” approach so residents are guided to the correct service rather than repeatedly passed between organisations;
-
telephone, face-to-face and paper-based options to remain available alongside digital services;
-
better promotion of pension credit, attendance allowance, home adaptations and other entitlements;
-
outreach through trusted community locations such as libraries, GP practices, community centres and faith organisations;
-
transparent reporting showing which communities are accessing support and where gaps remain;
-
greater consistency between boroughs while recognising that local communities have different needs.
The Mayor cannot personally deliver every council, NHS or social care service. However, the Mayor can bring organisations together, use investment and convening powers, set common standards and expose unacceptable differences in access across Greater Manchester.
I would also “publish the receipts” by showing where relevant Greater Manchester funding is being directed, which communities are benefiting and what results are being achieved. Residents deserve to know where the money goes.
3. What would you do to make sure Greater Manchester is a safe place to live, and how would you make sure people feel safe?
Feeling safe is fundamental to being able to live independently.
Older residents should feel safe in their homes, on their streets, in town centres, on public transport and online. Safety is not simply about recorded crime figures. It is also about whether someone feels confident enough to go shopping, visit friends, attend an appointment or use a bus after dark.
The Mayor has responsibility for holding Greater Manchester Police to account and overseeing policing and community safety priorities.
I would prioritise:
-
more visible neighbourhood policing and stronger accountability for local performance;
-
action on burglary, robbery, antisocial behaviour, shoplifting and vehicle crime;
-
a stronger police and security presence across the Bee Network;
-
improved reporting and communication for residents who do not use apps or social media;
-
partnership work to tackle fraud, doorstep crime, scams and online exploitation;
-
better support and communication for victims after an offence has taken place.
I would require clearer local reporting so residents can see crime trends, police attendance, response times and what is being done about persistent neighbourhood problems.
Communication is also essential. Older residents should receive clear, practical safety information through local newspapers, community groups, libraries, GP surgeries, council communications and direct engagement, not only through online channels.
Where the police take action, residents should be told. Where performance is poor, the Mayor should be honest about it and set out how it will improve.
4. How will you make sure that suitable housing is available for our ageing population? What support will you offer for people to rightsize or make adaptations?
Good housing is central to good health, independence and dignity.
In my business, I have seen how appropriate housing and relatively straightforward adaptations can help somebody remain safely at home. I have also seen how unsuitable housing, poor maintenance, inaccessible bathrooms or a lack of support can cause falls, isolation and avoidable hospital admissions.
My housing policy would be based on three principles: build the right homes, in the right places, with the right infrastructure.
I would prioritise brownfield sites, town-centre regeneration and unused urban land rather than placing unnecessary pressure on greenfield land and valued green spaces. New developments should include a realistic mix of accessible homes, retirement properties, supported housing, bungalows and homes that can be adapted as a person’s needs change.
I would work with councils, housing associations, developers, health partners and older residents to:
-
identify the different types of older people’s housing needed in each borough;
-
increase the supply of accessible and adaptable properties;
-
speed up access to home adaptations and trusted advice;
-
improve coordination between housing, health and social care;
-
develop independent advice for residents considering rightsizing;
-
encourage developments close to public transport, shops, health services and community facilities;
-
protect renters by pressing housing providers to maintain safe and decent standards.
Rightsizing must always be a positive choice, not something older people feel pressured into. Residents may be more willing to move when suitable alternatives exist in their own community, where they can remain close to family, friends, familiar services and support networks.
The Mayor has housing investment, regeneration and strategic planning powers, but many individual planning and adaptation decisions sit with councils and other organisations. I would use the Mayor’s influence and investment powers to establish a clear Greater Manchester standard and then publish borough-by-borough progress.
5. Would you support the proposed culture and leisure offer for older people that aligns with the bus pass?
Yes. I support the principle and would work with the Greater Manchester Older People’s Network, TfGM, councils and participating organisations to develop it further.
A bus pass should not simply provide the ability to travel. It can also be a gateway to remaining active, meeting other people, attending cultural activities and participating in community life.
Older residents with a TfGM-issued pass currently have free travel on Greater Manchester buses and can add off-peak tram and train travel for an annual charge. Linking that existing entitlement to affordable cultural and leisure opportunities is a sensible idea, provided it is properly designed, accessible across all ten boroughs and represents value for money.
I would want older residents involved throughout its development, including decisions about:
-
which venues and activities participate;
-
accessibility for people with disabilities or health conditions;
-
availability in every borough, not only Manchester city centre;
-
how residents without smartphones or internet access can use the offer;
-
how success will be measured;
-
its cost, funding and long-term sustainability.
People-led policy-making produces better results because the people who use a service understand the practical barriers better than anybody else.
My 16 years supporting older people have reinforced that independence is about more than meeting basic care needs. It is about maintaining relationships, confidence, purpose and choice. A well-designed culture and leisure offer could make a valuable contribution to that, and I would support taking it forward.