Association of Greater Manchester Authorities

The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) was a local government association that operated between 1986 and 2011 as the principal mechanism for strategic coordination across Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. It was established following the abolition of the Greater Manchester County Council and functioned as a collective body representing the ten metropolitan district councils. AGMA played a significant transitional role in the evolution of devolved governance in England and was ultimately superseded by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) on 1 April 2011, the first statutory authority of its kind in the United Kingdom.

Background and Legislative Context

AGMA emerged from the restructuring of local government introduced by the Local Government Act 1985, which abolished metropolitan county councils across England, including the Greater Manchester County Council. While the Act dismantled upper-tier metropolitan governance, it also contained provisions allowing district councils in abolished counties to establish voluntary countywide replacement bodies where this was deemed the most effective way to deliver strategic services.
Greater Manchester was among a minority of urban areas to utilise this provision. In 1986, the ten metropolitan borough councils voted to create AGMA as a countywide organisation to coordinate policy, manage residual functions, and represent shared interests. This decision reflected both the functional integration of Greater Manchester and the political recognition that certain services and strategies were best delivered at a metropolitan scale.

Legal Status and Constitutional Structure

AGMA operated as an organisation with permissive statutory powers. Its establishment required the formal approval of at least seven of the ten constituent district councils. Once constituted, AGMA possessed delegated statutory powers, its own staff, and operational budgets, although it was not a body corporate in its own right.
The organisation was governed by a written constitution, revised over time, most notably in 2008. At its apex was the AGMA Executive Board, composed primarily of the leaders of the ten metropolitan borough councils. The Executive Board met regularly to coordinate countywide policies, address strategic challenges, and oversee joint services.
Although the Executive Board could establish commissions and develop strategic frameworks, its authority depended on delegations from, and agreements between, the constituent councils, in accordance with the provisions of the 1985 Act.

Membership and Representation

AGMA’s core membership comprised the ten metropolitan boroughs of Greater Manchester:

• Manchester
• Salford
• Trafford
• Stockport
• Tameside
• Oldham
• Rochdale
• Bolton
• Bury
• Wigan

In addition, several major public bodies were members by subscription, including:

• The Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive
• Greater Manchester Police
• Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service
• Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority

These bodies participated in strategic discussions relating to transport, public safety, emergency services, and waste management.
Neighbouring local authorities such as Blackpool, Blackburn with Darwen, Cheshire East, and Warrington held associate membership. While they were represented at debates and meetings, they were excluded from formal voting processes.

Functions and Responsibilities

AGMA was responsible for coordinating a range of strategic and residual functions previously undertaken by the abolished county council. These included:

• Public transport coordination
• Waste management policy
• Economic development strategy
• Housing and spatial planning
• Public protection and emergency services liaison

The organisation also developed joint services through specialised AGMA Units, which operated across Greater Manchester to deliver shared initiatives more efficiently than individual councils acting alone.
A key strategic document produced under AGMA’s auspices was the Greater Manchester Strategy, which set out long-term objectives for economic growth, social inclusion, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure development.

Commissions and Policy Development

Under its 2008 constitution, AGMA supported its Executive Board with a structure of thematic commissions, designed to focus expertise and coordinate policy across sectors. By January 2010, six principal commissions were in operation:

• Commission for the New Economy
• Environment Commission
• Improvement and Efficiency Commission
• Health Commission
• Planning and Housing Commission
• Public Protection Commission

These commissions brought together elected members, officers, and representatives of relevant statutory bodies to develop policy proposals and oversee implementation in their respective fields.

Section 48 Grants and Voluntary Sector Support

AGMA operated a Section 48 Grants Committee, named after Section 48 of the Local Government Act 1985. This provision allowed metropolitan districts to levy themselves collectively in order to fund grants to voluntary and community organisations operating across Greater Manchester.
This mechanism was particularly significant for organisations whose activities transcended individual borough boundaries and which might otherwise have struggled to secure funding. The Greater Manchester Council for Voluntary Service played a notable role in lobbying for the strengthening of Section 48 powers during the parliamentary passage of the 1985 Act.

Records, Research, and Administration

AGMA oversaw the Greater Manchester County Record Office, responsible for preserving archives relating to the local history and governance of the county. These collections are now held as part of Archives+, based in Manchester Central Library.
The AGMA Policy and Research Unit, located in Wigan, provided analytical support, policy research, and evidence-based advice to inform strategic decision-making across the metropolitan area.

Advocacy and External Relations

Throughout its 25 years of operation, AGMA acted as a collective advocate for Greater Manchester, making representations to:

• The Government of the United Kingdom
• The North West Development Agency
• The European Union
• Business groups and funding bodies

Its lobbying efforts focused on securing investment, promoting regional economic development, and strengthening devolved decision-making.

Move Towards Statutory City Region Status

During the 2000s, AGMA increasingly pursued the creation of a formal statutory governance structure for Greater Manchester. This ambition aligned with broader debates on city-region governance and devolution in England.
In the 2009 United Kingdom Budget, it was announced that Greater Manchester and the Leeds City Region would become Statutory City Region Pilot Areas. This initiative aimed to test whether combined authorities could enhance economic growth and sustainable development.
The Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 provided the legal basis for establishing a combined authority with devolved powers over transport, skills, housing, regeneration, waste management, carbon reduction, and planning.

Transition to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority

On 29 March 2010, the ten district councils formally approved the creation of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and submitted proposals to central government. Following ministerial approval and public consultation, the GMCA was established on 1 April 2011, holding its inaugural meeting on that date.