Reflecting on her first 12 months in office, Bev Craig has a simple but serious message from Manchester to central Government. 'Trust us'.
The affable Labour leader of Manchester city council, who replaced Sir Richard Leese in the role a year ago after his record unbroken tenure of 25 years, wants Whitehall, in a nod to further devolution, to listen to what the city is saying - and doing - and show local councils more respect.
In a wide-ranging interview, Cllr Craig said she feels Manchester is in a 'stable and healthy' place with much to look forward to on the horizon. But, she says, she plans to fight hard with Government to get what's right for the city. And the fight for the right infrastructure and the right trains is set to move up a notch in the new year.
