Oldham Council Election 2024

The count has finished and I wanted to thank all voters who came out to support Labour candidates across Chadderton, Oldham and Royton.

I’m incredibly proud of the positive campaign run across the constituency, and the decency and solid hard-work shown by our members and supporters.

For the successful candidates my heartfelt congratulations to

🌹Eddie Moores (Chadderton North)

🌹Elaine Taylor (Chadderton Central)

🌹Holly Harrison (Chadderton South)

🌹Naseem Aslam (Hollinwood)

🌹Umar Nasheen (Medlock Vale)

To those who weren’t elected my appreciation for all you’ve done

🌹Steve Bashforth (Royton South)

🌹Clint Phythian (Royton North)

🌹Ruji Surjan (Coldhurst)

The council has shifted from a slim majority to Labour remaining the largest party by some margin with 27 seats as the council moves to no overall control, with some gains from previously held Tory and Independent seats.

The campaign, as it has been a feature of local politics for half a decade, was too often continuing the unacceptable pattern of extreme, misleading and divisive politics which has come from the dark shadows into the mainstream.

This is certainly the case with Oldham Conservatives who have become now routinely mired in controversy, including in the national press as its candidate was found to have been a member of the far-right party the BNP. But they were certainly not alone and more will be said at an appropriate time on this.

But as much as it’s important to call out poor behaviour, it’s also important to say that many candidates from opposing parties conducted themselves with dignity and respect for the democratic process, and that deserves recognition too.

I know it takes a lot to put yourself forward in the current political climate.

Finally thank you to all the polling staff, police and security who worked hard to ensure our democracy can function well.

You can view the full election results here: https://www.oldham.gov.uk/localelectionresults24

Chadderton Town Board Meeting

Today, the first Chadderton Town Board met to discuss the proposal to develop a ten year investment plan for the area, with some funding provided to bring together the submission to government.

On announcement of the funding, I wrote to government to ask that Royton was also included but I’m afraid it didn’t transpire in the final list of towns which followed.

There may be scepticism about the fund and whether it translates into any meaningful investment, but I am keen to ensure as the town’s MP with a standing place on the board, that I do all I can to make it a success.

I believe we have huge potential and many great heritage and cultural assets which with investment could really stand out; Foxdenton Hall is an obvious one. But it also gives us the opportunity to ensure that every part is considered from Busk to Butler Green. Healds Green to Hollinwood Avenue.

You never know we might even get a proposal for the tram extension through Westwood to Middleton, or maybe settle for sorting out the traffic at Costco! Whatever the outcome it is essential local people have their say.

Congratulations – and thank you – to Laura Windsor-Welsh who has taken on the role as Chair, and to all the officers and partners who gave time to it.

As things develop community consultation and real engagement will follow, and its membership expanded to ensure it fully represents the township.

(We held the meeting in the ballroom at Chadderton Town Hall, which is a wonderful community asset and a credit to the town).

Oldham Coliseum pop-up venue visit

This evening the Oldham Coliseum Theatre opened the Roundabout, a pop up venue outside the QE Hall for the arts with a strong community focus, including a week-long festival for anyone wanting to get into theatre called Cultivate.

Thanks to the organisers for the invitation, and to the performers who put on a great show.

You can find out more here https://www.coliseum.org.uk/…/announcing-our-spring…/

Save Oldham Coliseum Event

It was a pleasure to attend the screening of a film produced by the Save Oldham Coliseum group in support of the much loved theatre.

The group have worked hard to ensure the town doesn’t lose the theatre, and explicitly that it should stay at its historic home on Fairbottom Street.

Over a number of months meetings have been taking place with the council, members of the group, and the current theatre board to bring together all interested parties to find a common ground.

It was a significant moment to take part in a walk around at Fairbottom Street in February where the sense of history was very deeply felt. It was sad to see it stripped bare with seating removed and almost everything else taken out, but it was obvious too that the building had more to give.

The gathering heard from Cllr Arooj Shah who spoke passionately about her commitment to reflect in the council the wishes of the people of Oldham, and that she doesn’t want to rule out a return to its historic home, but that it must go hand in hand with a secure and stable future. That was extremely well received by the group and it shows the council are listening and are willing to work in cooperation with the community.

There are many things to consider in comparing a redevelopment of Fairbottom Street against a new build on Union Street in a renewed ‘Old Post Office’ building, and the operating model, financing and governance which then supports it.

The work of Save Oldham Coliseum should be welcomed, as should the openness of the council, and the willingness of the other funding partners to consider all options.

I have been a long-standing supporter of a new theatre and centre for the arts in Oldham, and the funding provided during my tenure as leader of the council to resolve the building issues at Fairbottom Street a decade ago was to allow a new project to develop without losing the producing theatre in the process.

For various reasons of cost and the loss of significant Arts Council funding the new project had been adapted to its current proposal, but in doing so it has been scaled back and resulted in a reduction in seats, meaning the annual pantomime would need to be held elsewhere, which is the main connection many have with it. It also meant the loss of the ‘fly tower’ meaning narrower production options.

It is right therefore that a pause is taken to consider this against a redeveloped Fairbottom Street site which would retain 500 seats, the flytower and of course allow the historic home to be secured for the future too.

Coupled with a plan for Yorkshire Street and support for businesses it could grow the benefit further.

When put alongside the investment already seen in the Old Town Hall and new focus on the stunning Egyptian Room, new market hall and wider heritage buildings there is a lot to be positive about whatever the outcome of this.

Labour’s plan to fix our railways

The railways have been allowed to be run into the ground with passengers paying the price. Its high time they were brought back into public ownership and run the national interest.

Anyone who uses trains in England will know they are expensive, unreliable and not up to standard after a decade of underinvestment. It’s not that the Tories are against national government owning our railways; providing it is the German, Spanish or Japanese who have long owned our important national infrastructure. It’s time to put British taxpayers first.

The plans would see routes brought back into public ownership once contracts expire over the next five years, resulting in an annual saving of £1.5bn which can be reinvested to bring the system up to scratch.

Devolution will be central to the plans with Mayors and combined authorities given extra power to improve services, stations and create single ticketing across buses, trams and trains.

24 convictions follow 2019 Limeside disturbances

Court reporting restrictions have been lifted following the sentencing of the 24 men involved in the disturbances which hit Limeside in May 2019, centred around the visit of Far Right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, commonly known as ‘Tommy Robinson’.

All of us know the dark days of 2001 are never too far away when we hear of disturbances or protests with an overwhelming divisive narrative based on race or religion.

We will not stand for our town being used as a battleground for hate and division, by the self declared English Defence League (EDL), likewise the self declared Muslim Defence League (MDL), or any other group for that matter.

The sentencing today should draw a line on a deliberate attempt to use Oldham as a battleground by people from out of town, and for anyone from the town who believe an appropriate response to objection is mob violence or intimidation.

That there were so many outsiders present was obvious, but it cannot, and should not, be brushed over that so many young men from our town were so quick to run towards conflict.

The result was very real fear in a community which did not ask to be involved. Police officers on duty to protect the local community were assaulted and there was a very real risk that it could have spilled over even further.

Events like this do not happen in a vacuum. This should be the point the social media companies and messaging platforms used to stoke tensions which play out daily is addressed properly by government for the significant part it plays in feeding hate and division.

The fact is clear that extreme and divisive politics has infected and infiltrated mainstream discourse in Oldham.

No mainstream political party, or any candidate who stands for the good of the town should be engaging, either fully or on the fringes, with organisations or individuals who rally for hate and division.

What has been playing out in Oldham has been called out by the anti-racism charity Hope Not Hate, by numerous newspapers including The Times, and just last month by a Home Office independent review. Yet it thrives and spreads everyday. It’s not okay and it needs robust and uncompromising action. That means mainstream political parties clearing out their ranks of any involvement. No ifs, no buts.

The vast majority of us want to live in peace, to accept and understand one another, and for a better life for all who call Oldham home.

We are not blind to the challenges, particularly the deep rooted economic and social issues which too often hold us down, nor are we blind to the obvious points of tension where different views meet. But what we don’t accept is for any of that to be exploited to divide our town.

READ FULL REPORT FROM THE Manchester Evening News here;

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/…/the-day-tommy…

Whitegate End Primary School visit

What a wonderful visit to Whitegate End Primary School in Chadderton with local Councillor Graham Shuttleworth.

I’ve been to the school a number of times before and they are active at bringing young people to the Parliamentary Education Centre too. Each time it is really uplifting to see students thriving and the staff who go the extra mile.

And it’s always the case that the most thoughtful and testing questions come from young people too.

Thank you to headteacher Rob Hollingsworth and the outstanding head pupils Will, Louie, and Emilia for taking the time to show me around.

Keep up the great work!

Visit to Greater Manchester Police HQ

Meetings took place today with Greater Manchester Police to discuss a range off issues affecting the constituency such as tackling gang and violent crime, and organised crime impacting our communities.

It was a good opportunity to meet with Chief Superintendent Estelle Mathieson who has taken on the leadership of the Oldham Division, with her significant experience across serious crime she will be an important addition to the borough.

Across Oldham many violent crimes have reduced; however the number of possession of a weapon crimes stand at 323 in 2021/22 and 367 in 2022/23. There have been a number of Section 60 stop and search episodes covering mainly the Limeside and Failsworth areas linked to a period where often petty ‘postcode’ disputes had escalated.

We discussed the work of Operation Venture which supports the work of the Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit (VRU). The unit also provides Oldham with £150k in Violence Reduction Grant and a further £27k in Serious Violence Dury grant for 2023/24.

There is an acknowledgement that targeted intervention is needed to support young people at risk of Child Criminal Exploitation. For my part that must include a focus in hotspots including Westwood, Freehold and Limeside, but be clear that no area is free of risk and so we have to ensure no one falls through the net wherever they are.

There is significant work taking place and it’s important that continues, but it’s also important that awareness is raised with parents and the wider community to fully understand the risks, warning signs and support available should they have concerns.

We must also see more general provision in youth services and in school support.