Prime Minister Andy Burnham will convene the inaugural meeting of No 10 North at Heron House, near Albert Square in Manchester, in a move the Government says will relocate decision-making out of Whitehall on a more regular basis.
What will happen at Heron House
The Prime Minister is expected to work from the Manchester site once each week during his premiership and will chair a session of the National Economic Council, a Cabinet committee originally established in 2008 to respond to economic challenges. The Government said the council’s composition will change to reflect the agenda for each meeting and may include business leaders and trade unions.
- Location: Heron House, near Albert Square, Manchester.
- Body meeting: National Economic Council (Cabinet committee).
- Frequency: PM expected to work from No 10 North once weekly.
- Potential attendees: representatives from business groups and trade unions.
Government message and local significance
The Prime Minister framed the initiative as a decisive move against centralised control. He said the days of Whitehall resisting devolution were over and described No 10 North as a "situation room" intended to shift power away from Westminster into local hands. Writing in the Guardian, he argued that what had been achieved in Greater Manchester could be replicated more widely and criticised earlier attempts at relocation of government functions as lacking real decision-making power.
"For 40 years, power and resources have been sucked into the centre, and too many communities have felt forgotten," the Prime Minister said.
Heron House is also known as the home of GCHQ’s Manchester and North West hub, placing the new No 10 North in a building already used for significant national operations. Ahead of the meeting the Prime Minister was expected to speak with leaders from business representative organisations including the Federation of Small Business and the Confederation of British Industry.
Practical implications for Manchester
Locating a regular No 10 presence in the city is intended to bring ministers and national decision-makers into closer contact with local authorities, business groups and civic leaders. For Manchester residents this could mean national-level economic decisions are informed by local concerns more often, and that the city hosts direct engagement between central Government and regional partners.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Primary venue | Heron House, near Albert Square |
| Committee | National Economic Council (Cabinet committee) |
| Expected participants | Business leaders, trade unions, variable list depending on agenda |
The announcement places Manchester at the centre of the Government’s stated attempt to rebalance power away from London. How that will translate into concrete policy outcomes and sustained powers for local institutions remains to be seen; the first No 10 North meeting will be closely watched by civic leaders and business groups in the city and across the North West.
