Oldham Council leader Cllr Amanda Chadderton has been appointed to lead Greater Manchester’s cost-of-living response.

Cllr Chadderton who was made lead for equalities, inclusion and cohesion at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) in June has been chosen to spearhead the city region’s response to the cost-of-living crisis.

Her appointment comes as findings from a Residents’ Survey reveal one in four people in Greater Manchester have cut back on meals due to money concerns with households with children more likely to experience food insecurity.

At last Friday’s GMCA meeting, local leaders from the 10 districts and Mayor Andy Burnham raised concerns from residents about increasing pressures brought on by food and fuel costs, with energy bills predicted to rise to more than £3,300 on average this October.

Cllr Chadderton said: “It’s clear to all of us in Greater Manchester that the cost-of-living crisis is the biggest issue facing our residents right now, and we’re facing an even more challenging winter ahead.

“It is appalling that in 2022, in this country, a lot of our residents have to choose whether to heat or to eat.

"What we’re going to see over the next two years is more people falling into poverty, in communities already scarred by entrenched deprivation and the impact of the pandemic.

“It’s incumbent on all of us to act, and act quickly, as we go through the rest of this year to tackle this crisis head-on.”

On Thursday (August 4) the GMCA launched Helping Hand, a new online resource to help guide residents to support available in their area, including help with food bills, energy, and childcare costs.

Following the success of the Emergency Food Card Initiative, which has already seen over 12,500 cards distributed over the past 18 months to support children and young people who need immediate access to good quality food, the Mayor has pledged additional funds from the Mayoral fund to provide an extra 220 pre-paid cards to each council area.

Each card, which can be used in a range of supermarkets or PayPoint Networks, will be charged with £5 credit to enable young people in need to access to emergency food, fuel, or mobile top-ups over the summer holidays.

A donation page has also been set up, managed by charity Forever Manchester, to help children and young people who need access to food over the school holidays, and can be found at No Child Should Go Hungry Fund - JustGiving.

For more information on Helping Hand visit www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/helpinghand