Candidates asked for their plans for skills and growthpublished at 21:11 BST
21:11 BST
Image source, PA
The candidates were asked about their ideas for boosting skills and growth across the city region.
Conservative Phil Eckersley said: “I’m going to be the most pro-business mayor this area has ever seen.
“And how you do that is by business rate reform, cutting business rates for small businesses and working with the boroughs to reduce parking fees and give people free parking, even if it’s just 30 minutes.
“It allows people to go into the town centres and make a quick purchase. And that is valuable to our small businesses.”
Bev Craig, of Labour, said her “priority is young people”.
“I want every young person growing up in this city region to feel like they’ve got that clear path to success,” she said.
“It’s what I talk about, beginning in early years, working with our school system to help people get the soft skills that they need to get guaranteed work placements.
“I’d go further than the powers we have at the minute. From day one, I will call on Andy Burnham to devolve the whole skills budget post-16, because if we can’t reform the apprenticeships, we can’t be pro-business and we can’t be pro-young people.”
Richard Kilpatrick, of the Liberal Democrats, said: “Greater Manchester as a city region is a hub for the digital industry.
“Actually, when you compare it to the rest of the United Kingdom, we need to build on that and we need to build on the amazing universities we have across the city region.”