What is Mayor’s Question Time?

Mayor’s Question Time is a free event for people living in Greater Manchester. It is an opportunity to put your questions to the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham about things that affect you.

This Question Time event is on Thursday, 26 May and will be held:

In-person - Stockport Town Hall, Edward St, Stockport, SK1 3XE

Virtually - You can also choose to join the virtual Zoom audience by selecting the 'Online Attendance' ticket option and attend the event from the comfort of your own home. You can also pre-ask your question when applying for tickets this way.

Ticket sales and question submissions will end on Monday 23 May at 23:30. 

The event opens at 7pm. You will need to be seated by 7:20pm as we will be starting promptly at 7:30pm. The session will be live streamed onto the Mayor's Facebook page: @MayorofGM and YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MayorofGM

We will visit every District in Greater Manchester and we encourage people from postcodes in the district to register for this event. This month these postcodes begin: SK1, SK2, SK3 etc. up to SK23

You can ask about anything that falls under the Mayor’s control. You can read more about the Mayor’s responsibilities here - The Mayor - Greater Manchester Combined Authority

When people register to attend, we ask them to submit a question. These questions are then shortlisted by an independent local journalist to make sure we have a broad range of topics covered on the night. There is also opportunity to ask questions on the night.

There may be occasions that we limit numbers attending the event. In these situations, we will filter this based on previous attendance at the events. In the event we have to cancel your ticket, we will let you know 48 hours in advance.

Expectations

We want this to be an enjoyable experience for everyone who comes and so there are a few things that we think are important –

• The journalist who is hosting the event is the Chairperson. This means that they manage the questions and makes sure the people asking questions get a comprehensive response. They may also choose to move the conversation on to a new topic.

• We cover a range of questions and subject areas – as everyone has different interests and wants to hear about different things.

• People are respectful and let other audience members talk and contribute, being mindful not to control the conversation.

To be able to do this, we ask that people –

• Ask only one question
• Stay on the topic that is being discussed at that particular time
• Keep questions concise and to the point

On the night of the event, we want to ensure that people get to ask their questions to the Mayor, but abusive behaviour, including towards the host, staff or other audience members will not be tolerated.

Due to the number of questions that are submitted and the time of the event, we are unlikely to be able to answer all questions but will try and cover a range of topics.

How will we use your data?

We only gather the minimum amount of information to ensure a smooth-running event. This includes your name, email and if you have any special access requirements that we need to be aware of in advance.

More information can be found in our Privacy Notice here – https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/the-mayor/

Please be advised that this event will be livestreamed on social media (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube etc.) and photos/videos are taken on the night and may also be shared after the event.

FAQs

I came last month - can I come again?

We're asking that people don't attend more than two question time events in a six month period. This is just so that different people have an opportunity to come along and ask questions. Obviously, if you're not able to attend then you're still more than welcome to watch it online through the live stream and participate via #AskAndyGM on social media.

Please note: There may be occasions that we limit numbers attending the event. In these situations, we will filter this based on previous attendance at the events. In the event we have to cancel your ticket, we will let you know 48 hours in advance.

Are there ID or minimum age requirements to enter the event?

No. But the event will be live streamed, so people who attend ideally need to be comfortable to sit for around an hour and a half.

What are my transport/parking options for getting to and from the event?

Stockport Town Hall is a five minute walk from Stockport train station and is situated close by to a stop on the 191 bus route.

Stopford House car park (at the bottom of Lacy Street) is available to everyone from 6pm onwards. It operates a Ringo payment system - the maximum fee being £3.

What should I do if I have access requirements?

When registering for the event you are given the chance to tell us any access requirements which may effect your experience at question time. Will will use the information provided and try and accommodate around your needs. However, all venues are checked for accessibility beforehand.

What can I bring into the event?

Yourself and your questions. You're also welcome to bring your phone in with you, so that you can join in with the questions online at the same time using the hashtag #AskAndyGM. But we do ask you to put it on silent, so not to disturb the live stream.

How can I contact the organiser with any questions?

If you have any questions about the event itself, feel free to direct them towards - questiontime@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk - equally, if you think of any questions that you want answering as part of the event, these can also be sent through to the same address.

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?

You don't need to have it printed, but an electronic copy of the ticket (via your smart phone / tablet) would be great, so that we can tick you off our attendee list and also identify if you are someone who has raised a question in advance.

How do I attend if I choose the 'Online Attendance' ticket option?

You will be sent a Zoom link to the event shortly before the livestream starts at 7:30pm. This link will be sent to the email address you give when registering for the event. So, please keep a close eye on your emails in the time leading up to the event.