Sir Richard Leese: Manchester council leader reflects on city's journey

Sir Richard Leese stepped down from the role of council leader on Wednesday

A veteran council leader has shared his pride at how Manchester has evolved during the past quarter of a century.

Sir Richard Leese, who stepped down from the role this week, said one of things he was most proud of was how the city had "got its self-belief back".

He added that Manchester was once again "a can-do city" after feeling the effects of the recession in the 1980s.

His comments were made as he reflected on 25 years in the role of Manchester City Council leader.

"The thing I do feel proudest about is that if you go back to the '80s, early-90s, this was a city really deep down as a result of that '80s recession [and] the loss to our traditional industries," he said.

"What I'm most proud of is this is a city that has got its self-belief back, it's a city that is once again a can-do city."

Sir Richard was first elected to Manchester City Council in 1984, becoming deputy leader in 1990 and leader in 1996.

'On a journey'

During his interview with BBC North West Tonight, he denied he had concentrated on building the city centre rather than on other areas.

"If you look at all the residential areas outside the city centre 20 years ago, some of those were no-go areas," he said.

"Some of those were areas that nobody wanted to live. We now have nowhere in the city where people don't want to live."

He also added that one of his ambitions had been for Manchester "not to be a benefit dependent city" but admitted "we're a long, long way off that".

"I think we all have our dreams about the sort of Manchester we want and we're a long, long way off that as well," he said.

"But at the same time we have made a lot of progress. We are on that journey."

Councillor Bev Craig has taken over the helm of the city council from Sir Leese, becoming the city's first female leader.