JimfromOldham

Congratulations to all Oldhamers recognised in the Kings Birthday Honours!

I share the joy that rugby legend Kevin Sinfield, who raised over £11 million for MND charities, as lasting legacy for his friend Rob Burrow has been recognised and our calls for “Sir Kevin Sinfield” have been heard! He must now sit among a distinguished few in receiving an MBE, OBE, CBE and Knighthood inContinue reading “Congratulations to all Oldhamers recognised in the Kings Birthday Honours!”

Why devolution matters

It was great to join the Devo Agency Podcast recently for a conversation about politics, local government, devolution, and the challenges facing communities like ours. For me, it’s always been about creating opportunity, rebuilding pride in our communities, and making sure places like Oldham west, Chadderton & Royton get the investment they deserve. When peopleContinue reading “Why devolution matters”

Getting our local rail services back on track

Members voted on the Railways Bill yesterday as it was back before Parliament and it’s another important step in fixing our broken rail network. Last year, Labour passed the Public Ownership Act, bringing passenger rail services back under public control as contracts expire. This Bill builds on that by creating a simpler, more accountable railwayContinue reading “Getting our local rail services back on track”

Behind every number is a family – no child should grow up in temporary accommodation

Yesterday, I joined the National Plan to End Homelessness panel at the Shared Health Foundation conference to talk about a crisis that too often gets reduced to statistics. The numbers matter. In Oldham, 588 children are currently living in temporary accommodation. More than 100 households with children have been there for over a year, 42Continue reading “Behind every number is a family – no child should grow up in temporary accommodation”

This is what co-operation looks like in practice …

The Co-op has opened applications for its Local Community Fund, giving community groups the chance to secure funding for projects that make a real difference locally. From supporting young people and improving mental wellbeing, to tackling food insecurity and strengthening community ties, these are the kinds of grassroots organisations that hold communities together. Thousands ofContinue reading “This is what co-operation looks like in practice …”

Oldham must be next for young futures investment …

Good news for Greater Manchester. Young Futures Hubs are being rolled out to help tackle knife crime, support young people’s mental health, and create more opportunities for those at risk of being left behind. Manchester is in the first wave. But I’ve made it clear to ministers that Oldham must be next, not least ofContinue reading “Oldham must be next for young futures investment …”

Oldham Mayoral Development Corporation consultation is now open!

The consultation on the proposed Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) for Oldham is now open and I’d encourage local people to join me in having their say 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆. In my contribution, I said that I support the principle behind an MDC, they are devolution at its best. Oldham deserves ambition. WeContinue reading “Oldham Mayoral Development Corporation consultation is now open!”

This week in Parliament

A good week down in Westminster, here’s some of what I got up to 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 This week I questioned the DWP Minister about apprenticeship vacancy periods and whether more could be done to ensure opportunities are there at the right time for school leavers. I also pressed the case for greaterContinue reading “This week in Parliament”