Time to honour Manchester's Musical Heritage and Culture

This article appeared in today's Manchester Evening News. This is the motion I am proposing at Full Council on Wednesday morning:

Recognising Manchester’s Musical Contribution

This Council notes that:

The Government’s Plan For Growth, published alongside the Budget specifically identified the UK’s creative industries and tourism amongst sectors with the greatest potential to drive economic growth.

UK Music has challenged public bodies “to realise the potential of this considerable economic asset.”

More than 100,000 people in the UK derive their main source of income from the music industry.

Manchester has just seen nearly a quarter of million people enjoying the Stone Roses reunion homecoming concerts at Heaton Park.

Manchester has a varied, vibrant and independent music scene.

Manchester has a rich musical heritage which has contributed and continues to contribute to numerous musical movements.

The fantastic work done by Manchester Tourist Guides, writers such as Dave Haslam and John Robb and the Manchester Music Archive and many websites in setting off an explosion of interest in Manchester's
musical heritage.

Manchester musicians are ambassadors for our city and have raised the profile of the city around the world.

That it was thirty years ago that the Hacienda Club opened and The Smiths were formed.

Manchester could and should do more to celebrate its diverse musical culture and heritage.

This Council Resolves:

To permanently recognise the cultural and economic value of Manchester's pop and rock music heritage by looking at all options for setting up a Manchester Music Hall of Fame in the city.

To set up an Induction process for the Manchester Music Hall of Fame to consider inducting the Smiths this year - thirty years after they were formed.

To work with Marketing Manchester and Manchester Tourist Guides to promote the concept of a Manchester Music Hall of Fame.

To work with the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, MIDAS and the New Economy and the wider business community to link all of Manchester's music based businesses into the promotion of Manchester's music scene and its' musical heritage across the world.

To explore all opportunities to develop Manchester's brilliant Music Archive.
 
To work with all interested partners to develop a musical heritage plaque scheme and all other bright ideas such as renaming the Hulme footbridge with a Joy Division connection.

To ask the Chief Executive to report back as soon as possible with proposals that push forward the full recognition of Manchester's musical heritage and the importance of Manchester's music scene to our economic future.

Let me know what you think.