Independent woman

Reporter: Ken Bennett
Date published: 10 June 2014


OLDHAM’S first female independent elected councillor this century talks to KEN BENNETT
NIKKI Kirkham’s eyes blaze with passion as she says defiantly: “I may be only one voice, but I will be heard.”

This week, the 40 year old leaves her beloved hills to take her seat as Saddleworth North’s voice on Oldham Council. She is believed to be the first woman independent to be elected since the formation of the council itself.

“The people of Saddleworth have spoken and I am here to fight for them,” she says.

Nikki was born in Denshaw and raised in Delph, the fourth generation from the area. She is a local cub leader and a parish councillor.

But after her convincing win (over Lib-Dem Alan Roughley, with a 479 vote majority) she returned to Delph for a surprise celebration party at a favourite local pub.

“As a laugh, a couple of pub locals presented me with written requests for things they wanted sorted — on individual pieces of toilet paper! But the reality is like other rural communities, we are faced with serious issues.”

The tipping point for her election success was Saddleworth’s hottest topic — the site for the new £17million pound secondary school.

Oldham Council has said it will be built in Diggle but Nikki and her four resolute independent parish council colleagues are determined the school should be built on the existing Uppermill site. The Chronicle reported yesterday that the government’s school-building agency is reconsidering the Uppermill case.

Nikki says her election was not a protest but underpins the pulse of the community on vital local issues.

“I think it says to politicians and decision makers people are tired of not being consulted. If they didn’t have a voice before, they will have one now. The Lib-Dems just didn’t listen to the voters. It’s not just a few Diggle people who against the school move — it is hundreds across the community.

“We have tried to liaise with the Government agencies and council and have come back with nothing. All we are given are general responses to specific questions and out-of-date reports.

“A lot of people are disillusioned and sick of being fobbed off. They are tired of hearing it’s a done deal when it clearly isn’t.

“The independents as a group are now going direct to the education minister to arrange a meeting and tackle Saddleworth School issues head-on. We have to fight and defend our heritage.”