IN Salford

I spent 5 hours today in this room.

I took this shot before almost everyone had arrived.

That card in the foreground has my name and title on it. To the right is a mug of coffee, with an appropriate moniker on its side, A shot of caffeine before proceedings commence.

The public - those supporting and those objecting - sit at the far end. Salford was I think the first authority in the country to allow public speaking at these meetings, and remains proud of that fact. People get a fair hearing. And they say what they think in this city.

It’s a real debate, nothing is decided beforehand. I have to be alert and on my toes.