THING OF THE WEEK
BIG FUNDS… The government was not the only one boosting fundraising pots this week. The We Love MCR Charity Dinner at the Midland Hotel saw well more than £150,000 raised from a collection of leaders in the built environment and business, a charge that was led by charity trustee Aneel Mussarat of MCR Property Group. Money raised from the evening will help We Love MCR Charity support its work helping young Mancunians realise their ambitions and helping strength communities through social groups, improved public spaces, and youth activities.
TUNNEL… Network Rail is around three week into a four-week closure of Merseyrail’s Northern Line, as it cracks on with a £3.5m upgrade of Victorian era tunnels. As of Tuesday – just over halfway in – the team of more than 50 workers had removed around 1,000 sq ft of old concrete ahead of new concrete being applied, drilled 6,400 holes for waterproofing injections, drilled 197 holes for drainage, and waterproofed nearly 18,000 sq ft of tunnel wall. The Northern Line is closed between Hunts Cross and Liverpool Central during the work.
Chancellor John Healey revealed the Autumn Budget to the House of Commons on Wednesday. Credit: Lauren Hurley, HM Treasury
FAVOURITE WORDS… Chancellor John Healey’s favourite words might be “mayor”, “hope”, and “growth”. In his Budget speech this week, the chancellor referenced mayors 11 times, hope 12, and growth 13. The phrase “breathing space” also received 13 nods. “Good growth” may be on its way out of being the political catchphrase du jour, with the chancellor only uttering the phrase four times. Can’t say “breathing space” has the same ring to it though.
