Last month we met with concerned residents at an advice surgery and representatives from my office attended a community meeting in Chadderton with local residents, the Neighbourhood Policing Team, local Labour councillors, and the Council Community Safety Team in Chadderton about reckless off-road biking. We’re pleased with the progress that has been made since and the work the local GMP neighbourhood team has been doing to address concerns with reckless off-road biking in the area, such as:

Created a 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒎-𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 to reduce off-road bike incidents and general 𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊-𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒃𝒆𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒗𝒆𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 & 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑭𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒂 – seizing any identified vehicles involved in this offending.

Installed 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 59 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒔 to act as a deterrent to people using their own vehicles in these car parks outside of working hours as any anti-social use can result in seizure of the vehicle.

Collated intelligence in regards to anti-social behaviour linked to illegal off-road motorbikes & are 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔.

Local officers have said they will be 𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 60 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒑 & 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒔 to detect offences.

Resulted in 𝒂 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒔 over recent weeks meaning the high visibility patrols have some effect, although we are not complacent & know more needs to be done.

This work is ongoing, and concerns have been long held. Which is why on top of the community meetings & advice surgeries mentioned already, we also raised concerns with the Road Policing Unit in April, got assurances off them about their commitment to police these issues robustly, raised awareness of Operation Snap & it’s online submission of incidents portal, and attended a roadside operation on Broadway with the Oldham Road Policing Unit.

While we are encouraged by the progress so far, we know ending the scourge of reckless off-road bikes in the area will take time. This is why we will do all we can to continue to support the Council and local GMP neighbourhood team to crack down on the bikes and take full advantage of the support and reforms heading their way such as the government’s Crime & Policing Bill and the upcoming delivery of our neighbourhood policing guarantee of 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝟑,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐧𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐂𝐒𝐎𝐬.

Local people should continue to report concerns to my team at jim.mamchon.uk@parliament.uk and the neighbourhood policing team in Chadderton, as well as engaging with us & the wider community to bring an end to reckless off-road bike usage in Chadderton and create a safer place – a local priority of ours at the general election last year.

It was great to be given a tour of the restored landmark heritage building just off Union St. yesterday, ready for it to be put back into community use after several years of this Grade II-listed building being closed.

Thanks to the expert work of construction partners Tilbury Douglas, the original features of this historic building which dates back to 1883 have been carefully preserved, while the inside has been upgraded to create a modern space for all to enjoy.

The Labour-led Council deserves credit for their tireless work to prioritise protecting our brough’s proud heritage in a way which reimagines landmark and transforms them for the good of local people. Whether here at the Old Oldham Library, the restored Royton Town Hall & Library, the Fairbottom St. site of the Oldham Coliseum which has been saved, or the Egyptian Room which completes the regeneration jigsaw of the Old Oldham Town Hall.

The Old Library now includes a fully restored Council Chamber and Mayor’s Parlour, creative studio spaces for Oldham Theatre Workshop, a beautiful upstairs art gallery, and brand-new landscaped gardens that will host events all year round.

Taking these facilities from the Civic Centre, QE Hall and Tommyfield Market to the new Spindles Council Offices, the new Market Hall & Events Space off Parliament square, and now the Old Oldham Library; not only are local people getting the refurbished modern facilities they deserve, but the town centre is being restructured to bring institutions closer together and drive condensed footfall to high street retailers & small businesses.

Two of my four local priorities that I set out at the election in 2024 were fighting for Good Jobs and promoting Community Ownership. In modernising infrastructure, driving footfall for local businesses, and restoring this local building of heritage for community use as a vibrant civic and cultural hub; we are advancing those priorities which looks to be making a real difference.

After 130 years of being a cornerstone of community life until it was replaced by the Oldham Library & Lifelong Learning Centre in 2006 – the Old Oldham Library is now back and this is just the start!

Even though we are now in the summer recess, our constituent support remains active & open – helping over 8,000 local people from our constituency office in Chadderton Town Hall each year through advice surgeries, doorstep conversations, and casework.

To increase accessibility of this support, my team & I have put together a guide to help constituents in Oldham West, Chadderton & Royton find advice and support with common issues they may be facing all in one place.

This resource contains contact details of local and national organisations who can provide assistance with health & wellbeing, money management & debt, energy bills & the cost of living, and homelessness & housing.

To access the guide, please click https://jimmcmahon.co.uk/seekingsupport/

It was a pleasure to visit the brand-new 𝐎𝐌𝐂 𝐊𝐢𝐚 showroom on Manchester Road in Werneth last week. It is an impressive, state-of-the-art facility that brings something special to Oldham.

The multi-level showroom was officially opened by 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐭, 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐄𝐎 𝐨𝐟 𝐊𝐢𝐚 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐔𝐊 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝, marking a major investment in our town’s future. This isn’t just a vote of confidence in OMC, it’s a clear signal that Oldham is a place with potential, ambition and a future worth building.

I was pleased to join Jonathan Eglin, Director of OMC Motor Group, alongside Mayor Eddie Moores and local business leaders for the opening. The conversations we had reflect a growing sense of pride and purpose in Oldham’s local economy.

𝐎𝐌𝐂 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 has a long-standing presence in Oldham, and this latest development shows their ongoing commitment to modernising and investing in our town, creating jobs, upgrading facilities and giving people more reasons to believe in a better future here.

Thanks to the team at OMC for the warm welcome, and congratulations on this exciting new chapter. The best of Oldham is ahead of us.

What a result. Fantastic from the #Lionesses!

Thank you to those who came along to my advice surgery this week to raise concerns on a wide range of complex issues in our local area.

If you are a constituent in Oldham West, Chadderton & Royton and would like to book a surgery appointment, please contact my office at jim.mcmahon.mp@parliament.uk.