Town hall chief in tribute to visionary who transformed Manchester

COUNCILLORS REMEMBER SIR HOWARD

- ETHAN DAVIES

COUNCILLORS paid tribute to one of Manchester's most important son's as the town hall remembered Sir Howard Bernstein, the city's former chief executive for 19 years.

Sir Howard, who was the chief executive of the city council from 1998 to 2017, passed away at the age of 71 on June 22. He is survived by his wife Vanessa and an extended family.

But he is also survived by the legacy he left the city, visible in its post-IRA bomb recovery, the Commonwealth Games-inspired regeneration of east Manchester, and the city's financial district, Spinningfields.

That's according to Labour council leader Bev Craig yesterday, speaking at the first full council meeting since Sir Howard's death was announced.

She paid tribute to a man born in Cheetham Hill in 1953, whose parents got by trading off Manchester's most abundant commodity: rain.

"I think Howard summed up the hope and the ambition that you can see in a city like Manchester," Coun Craig told a packed council chamber.