Manchester City Council has a 9-member “executive.” Every 5 weeks or so they appear before committees of “back-bench” councillors and are quizzed about how things are going on a host of different issues. In theory, they can be faced with curly questions and forensic investigation of what they do. The reality tends to be a bit more sedate, and even stage-managed. For now at least….

The meetings are open to the public (no need to book or ask permission), and all happen in Manchester Town Hall (Committee Room 11, ground floor. Wheelchair accessible)

Of particular note this time round –
An update on the City’s Waste and Recycling efforts and also progress towards 20mph speed limits on residential roads at the Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee (Tuesday 2pm)
Professor Kevin Anderson on steady-state economics and climate change at the Economy Scrutiny Committee meeting on Wednesday (Steady State Manchester and Manchester Climate Monthly are inviting members of the public to meet at the Waterhouse pub from 9am).
The Health Scrutiny Committee hears responses to the Mid-Staffordshire Hospitals report from North Central and South Manchester hospitals, hopefully showing what plans are in place to make sure such horrors never happen here…

btw – There are six different committees – Young People and Children (meets Tuesday 10am), Neighbourhoods (meets Tuesday 2pm), Economy (Weds 10am), Communities (2pm), Finance (Thurs 10am) and Health (2pm).

The accompanying graphic, produced by MCFly, shows some of the issues the committees could – if they wished – investigate.  Future generations (however many there may be) will be staggered that they didn’t.  But the unborn are, famously, too indolent to vote.