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Around 30 jobs to go at Manchester promotional bodies

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By The Drum Team, Editorial

February 25, 2011 | 3 min read

The organisations responsible for marketing and supporting the economic development of Greater Manchester are to be 'streamlined' at a cost of about 30 jobs.

Plans to restucture Manchester Solutions, Marketing Manchester, MIDAS and New Economy were first announced on Wednesday by Sir Howard Bernstein and Barbara Spicer, chief executives of Manchester and Salford City Councils respectively.

Their suggestions have now been approved by the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA), which says the changes will herald "a streamline of operations, a reduction in costs and a simplified governance".

What this means is that out of the 85 staff employed by these organisations, approximately 35% - about 30 people - will lose their jobs.

The remaining staff will be grouped into three specific areas of expertise:

Research, strategy and evaluation, including employment and skills – to be led by New Economy

Business growth, trade and inward investment – to be led by Manchester Solutions with MIDAS

Marketing, communications and tourism – to be led by Marketing Manchester

The staff will report into current MIDAS chief executive Angie Robinson, who will take on the additional responsibility of chief operating officer for the group.

Lord Peter Smith, chairman of AGMA, said: “The family of agencies were challenged with budget cuts of £3.2m in the 2011-12 financial year. Coupled with the creation of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Local Enterprise Partnership, it was necessary to re-align the work of the Family to ensure that maximum outputs could be achieved.

"The new structure and ways of working will better support each of Greater Manchester’s local authority areas and will continue to focus on driving economic growth.”

Earlier today The Drum revealed that Manchester City Council will axe Peter Saville's creative director of Manchester role as part of its search for £110m savings.

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