Tameside residents are underpaid, feel cut off, and die younger than the national average. Next week, the full council will vote on the Tameside Borough Strategy, a plan designed to reverse these trends by boosting housing, jobs, and transport links.
Key Challenges: Low Pay, Poor Health, and Isolation
According to the council strategy, not enough people in Tameside earn above the national minimum wage, and residents lack opportunities for skills and qualifications. A fifth of homes were built over a century ago, making them inefficient and expensive to heat. Life expectancy is low, and "too many people die of preventable illnesses" due to poor physical and mental health, council bosses say. Residents also feel cut off from high-quality culture and leisure activities and feel unsafe, despite crime rates being lower than in other parts of Greater Manchester.
Existing Investments and Planned Actions
The council aims to build on three government cash injections of £20 million each in Ashton, Stalybridge, and Denton. These funds are already being used to improve walking, cycling, and public spaces. Additionally, Ashton and Hattersley have been selected for the Pride in Place programme, which could provide up to £20 million each over the next decade. The Ashton mayoral development zone is expected to attract outside investment and thousands of new homes.
The largest housing project is in Godley Green, earmarked for 2,150 homes, though it has been controversial. The strategy says modern housing is needed to overcome the borough's challenges. Town masterplans for Hyde and Droylsden have been devised but currently lack major financial backing.
Council Leader's Vision
Council leader Eleanor Wills said: "Tameside is a borough with enormous strengths—its people, its communities and its ambitions for the future. Our Borough Strategy sets out our shared vision for the years ahead, developed in partnership and shaped by the voices of residents. It reflects the challenges we face, but also the opportunity we have to work together to create a fairer, healthier and more prosperous Tameside."
She added: "Delivering this vision is not something any agency can do alone; it relies on strong partnerships, shared commitment and a collective determination to make a difference."
Upcoming Vote
Tameside's full council will meet at Dukinfield Town Hall on July 14 to vote on the strategy, which outlines priorities for the coming years.
