We are recruiting!

We are looking for a Constituency Caseworker to join my busy team based at Chadderton Town Hall.

We support around 8,000 personal casework and campaign lobbies from constituents each year, helping many people to get a fair deal from government departments and local public bodies, including housing, welfare, education, and health services to name just a few. Many cases are personal and often sensitive and so a high level of humility and compassion, as well as an attention to detail, good organisation and a professional manner is required.

We support all constituents regardless of how they voted, whether they voted or not, and without fear or favour to ensure everyone who needs it has access to appropriate support and guidance.

Role responsibilities

• Assist surgeries and other meetings and follow up as appropriate.
• Deal with large numbers of standard queries, as well as assisting on more complex cases from members of the public by phone, email, social media, or face-to-face. Ongoing communication may be required.
• Gather relevant information to assist with resolving cases.
• Log all cases; monitor progress and ensure all identified actions are taken.
• Ensure records are kept and information managed confidentially in line with the data protection legislation.
• Draft responses to constituents.
• Critically analyse patterns of enquiries and articulate the findings in reports and communication with the MP and other staff members.
• Establish, monitor, and update a social media and online presence in the constituency. Produce online graphics and video content, as well as publicising surgeries and news alerts etc.
• Establish, monitor, and update a social media and online presence in the constituency. Produce online graphics and video content, as well as publicising surgeries and news alerts etc.
• Manage and monitor social media enquiries, dealing with cases that do not need to be transferred to a higher level. Ensure all enquiries are dealt with in a timely manner.
• Ensure that each case is dealt with promptly, sensitively, confidentially, and accurately in accordance with the MP.

• A working knowledge of IT including basic Microsoft packages including Word, Outlook, Excel and Powerpoint is essential, and training can be provided if needed on our specialist casework tracking and reporting system.

• A driving license would be an advantage as you will also support constituency-based events as required. Evenings and weekend working will be required in support of advice surgeries and public meetings on casework related issues.

Pay and terms

The salary range is set by IPSA (Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority), starting from £22,605+ depending on experience.

All staff are auto enrolled into the Parliamentary Pension Scheme.

Upon appointment you will be required to apply for security clearance, undertaken by the Parliamentary Security Vetting and Pass Office.

You should share the values of the Labour Party and Co-operative Party and demonstrate a commitment to public service.

To apply please send a brief covering letter outlining your experience and reasons for applying, together with your CV to jim.mcmahon.mp@parliament.uk no later than 5pm 11/09/24.

More information including role responsibilities can be found by visiting https://www.w4mpjobs.org/JobDetails.aspx?jobid=94223

You can view IPSA job groups here.

I have had an increase in correspondence from Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton constituents recently regarding fireworks being set off after 11pm outside of permitted firework hours. This type of regular anti-social behaviour should not be tolerated. Fireworks can be disruptive, a nuisance and harmful to many vulnerable people.

As you would expect, I am in regular contact with Oldham Council and Greater Manchester Police about this. I am confident that they are each doing all they can, despite successive cuts by the previous government, to address incidents, including by enhanced licensing checks and monitoring of popular hotspots.

Even if new, tougher, laws were implemented; without the resources to tackle the problem, including closing down illicit sales of fireworks, these laws would not be sufficient – resources to make them workable are required too.

In last months King’s Speech, the government proposed a Crime and Policing Bill so we can rebuild community policing and crack down on anti-social behaviour with new Respect Orders; and a Victims, Courts and Public Protection Bill too, ensuring victims get the support they deserve.

Tackling anti-social behaviour in this way is how Labour is creating a safe place – a priority of mine at the election – on the high streets and in the neighbourhoods which make up our local communities.

I will continue to monitor developments. Constituents should continue to report instances and I encourage local people to raise concerns with my office if necessary at jim.mcmahon.mp@parliament.uk.

Remember, all of us just want to live in a nice area and get on with our lives without major disturbances. To those involved: setting fireworks off at such times does not need to be done. Please think of your neighbours, of their families, and of those working unusual shift patterns.

Despite the house rising for the summer recess at the end of July, the busy days and productive engagements haven’t let up.

I spent some time in Leeds visiting one of the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government’s offices. I enjoyed meeting everyone in person for the first time and I’d like to thank them for having me. While there, I met again with the West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin so we could discuss with members of the community how devolution will improve lives.

The Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and I went to Rotherham to see the amazing work being done by local people to clean up and help rebuild after the devastating attacks suffered there. The power of community was evident and the unity shown was commendable.

I ended his week with a meeting in my capacity as local MP at the Civic Centre with representatives from the GMP, members of the Oldham Mosque Council and other local figures to talk about the work we are doing for our borough and the next steps forward.

I hope everyone is having a brilliant summer, and I am looking forward to Parliament reconvening in early September after the break so we can continue the work of change our government has started.

Social media sites are great places for all of us to connect with friends, to keep in touch with family, and to engage in political discourse. However, we must make sure that the law of the land is respected and enforced online in the same way that we expect it would be on the street.

We also know that social media companies have more work to do fulfil their responsibilities surrounding user safety and hateful content.

This week I appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme and spoke about concerns many people have with social media given the current climate.

Our government is working hard to deliver for working people in every part of Britain, including for constituents of mine in Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton, so that we can end the 14 years of chaos and decline under the Conservatives and properly rebalance our country.

We want to bridge the gap between Westminsiter and local communities by devolving more power and resources to local areas because we believe that those with skin in the game are most able to make decisions about what happens in their community.

I spoke about issues like these and more yesterday on BBC Breakfast.

People are feeling anxious in their own communities. They want to go about their daily lives in peace not fear.

Those who disrupt the fabric of our communities will face the full force of the law.

I talked about the violence we’ve seen recently in our country on Sky News this morning.

Violent protests over recent days have understandably caused anxiety and concern that further organised violence could occur, whipped up and spread on social media and messaging platforms.

Our democracy is built on the right to hold different views and to express them freely. The freedoms we have built up over generations are often tested by those who care little for the rights of the majority above their own agendas, toxifying already sensitive and difficult issues so they can exploit them further.

They care little for the issues they weaponise, as seen in the horrendous aftermath of the Southport attacks while most of us were devastated by the murder and serious injury of innocent children, others turned the streets into a battleground, attacking a local mosque and police officers trying to keep the peace. Local businesses and public buildings such as an advice centre and library have been attacked elsewhere.

While we take comfort in the community response seen to repair the damaged caused, no community should have to deal with the streets where they live becoming a battleground for hate and division.

The government has been clear that anyone engaging in violent protests will face the full force of the law, and that needs repeating alongside caution to parents to ensure young people do not find themselves caught up in events or encouraged to carry out acts of damage or harm by older adults.

The same caution is needed against any counter protests which may lead to violence or damage. The police and courts will be swift to ensure justice is felt by the offenders and that it is seen by the vast majority of innocent citizens who want to live in peace in the place they call home.

Our town knows too well the cost of division and fragility of peace.

All of us should be alert to the misdirection and fake news being shared online. It is designed to cause anxiety, division and provoke anger.

I have been in regular contact with both Greater Manchester Police and Oldham Council who are working to provide reassurance and to ensure that any risk of harm is monitored and acted upon.

*Constituency statement by Jim McMahon OBE MP*