For the first time in over a century, municipal power is returning to Greater Manchester. But this is not simply about shifting budget meetings from Westminster to the North West.
True to their traditions, the local leaders of this proud industrial region are planning something utterly radical. They intend to abandon the Whitehall model, completely rethinking how services are run and how lives can be changed.
At midnight tonight, the 10 councils in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority will take direct control of £6bn of annual health and social care funding, money previously administered by central government ministers in London. Rather than following departmental priorities and targets, however, they are posing a question - how can we use what resources we have to ensure the greatest and fastest possible improvement to the health and wellbeing of the people of Greater Manchester?
And the answer is to smash the silos. Mark Eastons report and film are well worth reading and watching. The north east councils should ask themselves - why would we not want to be part of this.
Oh and by the way. . .Greater Manchester is a labour controlled area. They have just learned to get along not fight amongst themselves.