Jim McMahon OBE MP

Queen Elizabeth Hall

Like many of you I’ve got great memories attending events over the years, and even the tinsel added to the occasion.

Personally, I’m going to miss the QE Hall, and the Civic Centre for that matter. It is ‘of it’s time’, but then everything is. It was built to bring the newly created borough together and together with the councils former HQ itself were a feature of Oldham for generations.

It will be used for the final time on 10th May, drawing to a close nearly 50 years of use.

Progress moves on, and the new ‘The Loom’ venue will help bring the footfall into the heart of the town centre and help to fill the void left in the Town Square Shopping Centre as a result of changing shopping demand, so that’s to be welcomed and I wish it every success.

Thanks for everything QE Hall, you’ve done a great public service over the years!

Investment in Playgrounds!

Good news for families in Oldham.

A £150,000 investment is being delivered into parks and play areas across Oldham, upgrading equipment, improving safety, and making sure children have better places to play close to home.

Locally, this includes improvements at Limeside Park and pitch enhancements at Westwood MUGA, helping to create safer, more modern spaces for young people and families.

It might sound simple, but this really matters. Safe, well maintained play areas give children the chance to be active, spend time outdoors, and enjoy their neighbourhood.

This is about investing in the everyday spaces people rely on, not just big projects, but the parks and play areas that bring communities together.

There is more to do, but this is a positive step forward, and I will keep pushing to make sure our area continues to get the investment it deserves.

https://www.theoldhamtimes.co.uk/news/25964437.oldham-receive-funding-playgrounds-borough/

Plan to tackle youth knife crime welcomed

In Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton, we know all too well the devastating impact knife crime, gang activity and child criminal exploitation can have on young people and families.

So, I welcome the Government’s new “Protecting Lives, Building Hope” plan to halve knife crime, a serious and necessary step forward in tackling the root causes of youth violence in our communities.

The plan looks to support young people so they get a better start in life, stop those at risk from turning to knife crime, properly police our streets to punish perpetrators and stop offending, and ultimately to end the cycle of knife crime.

Over recent years, I’ve consistently raised these issues in Parliament, including concerns about number of local Section 60 (stop and search) orders needed in recent years, the need for stronger early intervention, and better coordination between police, schools and youth services.

In addition to meetings with local police in Oldham on this issue, I’ve also had the opportunity to meet with the Violence Reduction Unit in Greater Manchester and during a visit to the team in London, to hear what disruption interventions work best on the ground.

Early intervention and prevention. Every child caught carrying a knife will now receive a mandatory, tailored plan through Youth Justice Services to stop reoffending and address root causes.

A public health approach. Bringing together education, health, policing and community services to support young people before they are drawn into crime.

Targeted action in hotspot areas. Using data and new technology to focus resources where they are most needed, including schools and neighbourhoods at highest risk.

Stronger enforcement alongside prevention. Continued action to remove knives from our streets and tackle illegal sales, backed by national coordination.

Just as important is sustained investment in youth services. In areas like ours, youth provision has too often been hollowed out, despite the clear link between safe spaces, trusted adults and lower levels of crime. The plan’s commitment to expanding youth hubs, mentoring and support programmes must translate into real funding reaching communities like Oldham, Chadderton and Royton, building on local partnerships already working hard to support young people at risk of exploitation and gang involvement.

Nationally knife crime is down, and over 60,000 dangerous items have been taken off the streets. We’ve long argued that enforcement alone is not enough. Our communities must see real investment on the ground, with local partners empowered to act and young people given the support they need to choose a different path.

Mayoral backing for Oldham SportsTown

Plans are progressing to establish an Oldham Mayoral Development Corporation, bringing the powers and focus needed to drive regeneration across our borough and get projects moving at pace.

At the heart of this is SportsTown, with a £70 million vision to create a health, sport and innovation campus that can drive jobs, skills and investment into Oldham for years to come. A big step forward for Oldham.

I want to give a big thanks to Oldham Athletic, and their owners the Rothwell’s and CFO Darren Royle who deserve huge credit for their vision and work on this project. It is going to put sport and excellence on the map in Oldham for years to come.

Alongside this, funding has also been secured through the Good Growth Fund to support new homes and wider regeneration, as part of a broader plan for Oldham’s future.

Oldham has secured investment in the past few years, but we all know we need to go further and faster. I will keep pushing to make sure our communities see the benefits through jobs, opportunity and long term growth.

Direct flights from Manchester Airport to Sylhet reinstated

Good news for Oldham’s Bangladeshi community that Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ direct flight between Manchester Airport and Sylhet is coming back from 1st July.

This route matters. For many families across Oldham, it’s a vital link and helps keep people connected to loved ones, and it’s good news for Manchester Airport to have more direct flights rather than passengers relying on connecting flights usually via London.

Its suspension in March caused real concern and the Save Manchester to Sylhet Route campaign, led by Coldhurst Cllr Abdul Jabbar, brought people together and made the case loud and clear.

Good work everyone, it’s nice to get a positive result!

Action on fireworks proposed

It is welcomed news that a consultation is due to start on measures to clamp down on nuisance fireworks – a long running frustration raised regularly by constituents.

It has been reported that the consultation could include updating the list of banned fireworks, and a reduction in the noise limit for fireworks bought by the public.

I’ve said before that fireworks should bring joy, not anxiety for neighbours, those with sensory issues, pets or veterans living, or anyone who wants a decent nights sleep ahead of work or school the next day.

It’s been an issue I’ve raised in parliament, to ministers, and I was only too willing to back a Bill to introduce noise limits on fireworks only a few months ago.

A step forward for Oldham Coliseum

It is welcome news that over £650,000 in funding has been secured from the Arts Council for the Oldham Coliseum Theatre.

It builds on that work to protect a theatre that means so much to Oldham. The Coliseum isn’t just a building, it’s part of our identity. Generations have grown up with it.

The focus must be on bringing it back stronger: a working theatre, rooted in the community, with local talent at its heart.

Work is progressing at its historic home on Fairbottom Street, and before long a new generation will be able to experience the Coliseum

Our upgrades to workers’ rights & pay have officially come into force

Real change starts to land for working people. Our once in a generation enhancement to workers’ rights and pay are now coming into force, alongside action to support pensioners and tackle child poverty.

From today:

State Pension 𝘂𝗽 𝗯𝘆 𝟰.𝟴%

Two-child limit scrapped bringing 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗳 𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆

Paternity rights 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗽𝗮𝘆, paid from day one of illness with the minimum earnings threshold removed.

𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 for workers who ‘blow the whistle’ on sexual harassment

This is after last week’s boost to pay and measures to cut the cost-of-living:

Around £𝟭𝟭𝟳 𝗼𝗳𝗳 average energy bills

4% pay rise for 𝟮.𝟳 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 – up to £900-£1500 a year more

This month Labour are putting more money in your pocket to help with the cost of living and are boosting workers rights.

And from tomorrow, the Fair Work Agency is up and running making sure these rights are properly enforced. This is what ‘making work pay’ looks like.

We’re turning the tide on the Tory years of insecurity, unproductivity, low-pay and decline – and Reform have tried to block us the whole way.