Council: good, but it must do better

Reporter: MARINA BERRY
Date online: 09 December 2009

Satisfaction ratings are too low, says report

OLDHAM must do more to tackle long-term unemployment and to shake the long-held perception of an “old-fashioned” council seen as aloof from its residents.

The demand for action comes from the first-ever assessment of how Oldham’s public services as a whole meet the needs of the public they serve.

The “Oneplace” report puts the spotlight on the partnership which combines council, health, police, fire and rescue services.

And it has given the borough two red flags, which call for drastic action, and two green flags, for exceptional performance that others can learn from.

Red flags were given for resident perceptions of Oldham and public-sector bodies, and rising numbers of people claiming out-of-work benefits for five years or more.

The figure stands at 9,100, and rising, with ill health, lack of skills and qualifications blamed in many cases.

Action taken by the Oldham Partnership, although committed, was insufficient to tackle the size of the problem, the report said.

Satisfaction with Oldham Council is reported as lowest nationally, perception of value for money it offers is low, and other public services, such as the police and local health providers, also have lower satisfaction ratings (67 per cent) than in similar areas and the national average of 81 per cent.

The report says the Partnership has plans to improve how people feel about living in Oldham, but says it needs to find out why people feel the way they do.

Green flags were awarded for breaking the cycle of worklessness by producing a higher skilled generation, and for an almost one-third cut in teenage pregnancies.

The report says prospects for Oldham’s young people have probably never been higher, partly due to its development as a university town.

But its dependence on manufacturing, with its low wage, low skill economy, makes the borough vulnerable to recession.

Overall, Oldham Council is assessed as performing adequately, the new Liberal Democrat leadership and management team have made a good impact, most services are rated as good, its books are balanced, and it works well with partners on important local issues.

But the council still needs to be more efficient and effective in the way it runs itself and has much to do to win back public confidence, said the report.

Oldham Council leader Howard Sykes said it showed most services were good and continuing to improve, and confirmed the council had been quick to make changes, focusing on the right issues to make improvements, although there was still much more to be done.

Nick Brown chairman of Oldham Partnership executive and principal of Oldham Sixth Form College, criticised the “harsh judgement” about the number of people out of work for five years or more, which he said was a long-term challenge in view of the nation’s decline in manufacturing industry.

He said a huge amount was being done to help the unemployed gain new skills, adding the prospects for young people had never been better, and highlighted the borough’s green flags as standards of excellence.

He said the Partnership was working to close the gap between the standard of services and people’s perceptions, adding: “What makes Oldham stand out from the crowd is the willingness of agencies to work collaboratively.”

Gail Richards, chief executive of NHS Oldham, highlighted a five-year plan for health in Oldham, focusing on many of the issues raised in the assessment, including health of babies, mental health, smoking, cancer, heart and respiratory diseases and increasing access to services.

Bill Edwards, chairman of Oldham Partnership Steering Group said: “I firmly believe the level of involvement from the community makes us different from other partnerships and is one of our major strengths. .”

To view the full Audit Commission report, visit http://oneplace.direct.gov.uk/infobyarea/region/area/Pages/areaoverview.aspx