Big news for Greater Manchester was announced in the budget this week. For the first time, mayor Andy Burnham will be able to spend money according to his own priorities with a single pot of funding to be agreed over several years.
The new devolution deal - described the 'deepest' yet - also give local leaders more powers over transport, housing and technical education. But the biggest change is the financial certainty and flexibility that the 'trailblazer' deal offers.
The move means that the city-region will be treated like a government-style department with more financial freedom than the current arrangements allow. "We'll be able to do more of what we want to do," Mr Burnham explained, "rather than dance to the tune of the individual government departments who are often putting lots of conditions on the funding pots that they give out."
