As a Manchester City Council Councillor, notices of Key Decisions are shared on a weekly basis. These are decisions not taken by Members, but taken by senior council officers who are not elected.
If the Key Decision is worth over £500,000 or if it affects more than one ward, it is issued for Members to ‘Call In’ for scrutiny.

On 10 June, 8 days before the Makerfield by-election polling day, the Strategic Director for Growth & Development at Manchester City Council approved “the Key Decision to a new lease to be entered into at Heron House”.
“To enter into a lease with a new tenant to for the vacant 2nd floor office suite at Heron House”

On 11 May there had been notification for a new Heron House Lease but no details on the who and the why.

It is our understanding that it is public record that the majority of Heron House is already leased by GCHQ and the Ministry of Justice.

There are no details on the Key Decision as to who this new lease is with, who the tenant is or any financial details.

On 10 June, Andy Burnham was not even an MP, never mind the PM. He had his own offices as Mayor at GMCA.

So who was lining up new office space at Heron House, committing to hundreds of thousands of pounds in rent?

Was the office space leased with the intention of housing No 10 North before Andy Burnham was even voted in as an MP?

Did Bev Craig know more details about this lease and its purpose at the time of the Key Decision?

How long had these Heron House leasehold discussions been ongoing and who was party to them?

We will be asking those questions of MCC, and its Leader Bev Craig in a formal request for more details.