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Lib-Dems in Tory link-up
Reporter: RICHARD HOOTON
Date online: 18 May 2010
Oldham to mirror No.10
OLDHAM is mirroring national politics with the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives signing a unique agreement to create a ruling coalition.
The local elections left no party with overall control of Oldham Council. The Lib-Dems and Labour tied on 27 seats, followed by the Tories on five and one Independent.
It left Labour and the Lib-Dems battling for control and after lengthy negotiations the Tories have agreed to jointly form an administration.
The decision to work together was endorsed unanimously by both political groups last night and means Lib-Dem councillor Howard Sykes continues as council leader.
He said: “The electorate have been clear in Oldham, as at national level, that they want politicians to put aside party differences and work together for the benefit of our borough and its citizens. A number of productive meetings have been held over the last week with Councillor Jack Hulme, leader of the Conservatives, on the possibility of a setting up a ‘Cabinet of all Talents’. I have to say also that it is regrettable that the Labour leader declined the invitation to participate.
“While this agreement is unique in the history of Oldham Council, I am reluctant to call it ground breaking or historic, I prefer to see it as a mature and practical response to the testing times in which we find ourselves. Clearly some of the finer detail has yet to be finalised but that will be the subject of further discussion.”
The agreement means that for the first time since the council was established the parties running the council have elected representatives in every district.
Councillor Sykes says this will allow it to fully represent the views of people across the entire borough and that nearly 60 per cent of all votes cast were for the two parties, giving the joint administration real democratic legitimacy.
Lib-Dem councillor Jackie Stanton remains deputy leader and Councillor Hulme will join the cabinet. The Tories will also take the chairmanship of the Planning Committee and a seat on the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority.
Councillor Hulme said: “As councillors, we have a responsibility to ensure the council has strong, stable and effective leadership. My group and I believe the best way we can serve Oldham is to work with colleagues from the Liberal Democrats to ensure that the council can deliver real benefits to local people.
“We all recognise that in any partnership there will not be agreement on every issue. However, the productive discussions between our parties show that we all have the best interests of the borough at heart.”
Labour leader Councillor Jim McMahon said he did not get involved in the talks because: “Over the last two years the Lib-Dem council have been calamitous and we have no desire to be involved with a failing administration.
“We put residents’ interests first. We thought it was best not to form a coalition but to form a new administration.”
He added: “We are disappointed that as the group with the largest share of the vote we have been blocked from forming an administration.
“In the context of the national situation it’s no surprise that the Lib-Dems and Tories have come together in Oldham.
“It’s our job now to act responsibly, put the interests of the borough first and not play party politics. We will do that and form an effective opposition.”
He predicted the national coalition will fail of its own accord and the local coalition will be kicked out by the electorate at the next election.
Independent councillor Ian Barker has confirmed he will be backing the Lib-Dems, saying: “I feel our town needs stability, especially at a time when our council is improving.”
Comments
The electorate kicked out the LibDem candidate wherever they could in the local election. We clearly wanted an end to the LibDem failures. Yet Sykes says the new coalition has political legitimacy! Pull another one. If the delays Sykes and his crew introduced to the school building programme mean it is cancelled they'll have a lot more to answer for.
Oh, dear! I feel sorry for all of you living in the town if Sykes is still your council leader. Oh, dear!
goneaway, disagrees with Sykes that the coalition has political legitimacy, the facts prove Sykes right, when only 37297 people voted for Labour, and 54636 people voted for the Lib Dems and Tories.
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thats 17339 more votes for the colition than for Labour, just like at the national level the majority of the residents of Oldham Borough did not vote for the failed Labour party...
Excellent news and good luck to them. At least we don't have to worry about Labour creating massive debt like they always do both in local and national government then leaving others to pick up their mess.
A change of the rubber stamp committee, but the reality is that nothing has changed. Charlie Parker and his exec are still running the town and all the councillors can do is agree with their decisions.
This is not democracy.
I think the council should imediatley look to install a council chamber gym, follwed by re-inforced chairs by the looks of things, this is a real heavy weight politician.
Just a reminder to Celsus_civis at present we have a first past the post electoral system not the number of votes cast to decide the results. The result of the Oldham Council elections was Labour 13 seats Lib/Dems 7 Tories 0. Councillor Sykes says his coalition with the Tories is "real democratic legitimacy" so the Tories who won NO seats at the election now control the Council. Enjoy your civil partnership Jack and Howard for the next 12 months then local electorate will arrange your divorce.
excellent news and i think this move will be very positive for people living in Oldham GOOD LUCK.
beerman, the facts are as follows, number of seats by party on OMBC:
Con 5 - Lib Dem 27 - Labour 27 - Independant 1
meaning each party has as follows:
Con - 24883 - 5 seats
Lib Dem - 29753 - 27 seats
= 54636 votes and 32 seats for the Tories and the Lib Dems
Lab 37297 votes - 27 seats
meaning that in the council elections in Oldham Borough on May 6th 2010 the result was that:
the Lib Dems and Tories have 5 seats MORE and 17339 votes MORE than Labour, thats no spin just facts...
We can rest assured then that allowances had nothing to do with it.
Let's all be honest. It doesn't really matter who's running this dump does it?
Seems like a fair result, and I think it's good for Oldham. With Metrolink, BSF, housing market renewal and the new science center I think the borough is - gasp - actually improving. Slowly but surely perhaps, but it's beginning to move in the right direction. It was Sykes and Parker who brought Metrolink - I don't see how anyone can describe that and their other achievements negatively.
hmmmm? could do with shifty the old has been lib dem trash thats lying around in the council.
sykes, alcock and parker shouldnt even be in there now.
Let's face facts, Nick Clegg has grasped at power while Howard Sykes has clung on to it.
David Cameron did what he could to get into power with his grubby coalition, while Jack Hulme has done exactly the same.
Locally, only Labour won seats while the two losers form yet another grubby coalition.
As it has been said many time, vote Liberal and you get the Tories!
Uncharacteristically negative comment from fedupoldhamer there; he's normally such a cheerful chappie.
Sapere Aude - you sound as if you are on the Council - so supportive of all that's wrong with it. Could be wrong but you do a good impression of someone of that ilk.
@Celsus_civis. interesting theory. I didn't see the box for tory/lib-dem coalition when I voted.
What I want to know is where did they get the money from for that purple Marquee !
What a shame that Nick Clegg and David Cameron have now set such a precedent that local councils think they can legitimise such an alien alliance in local politics.
At least we will only have to put up with this until the next round of local elections when Labour voters have an opportunity to return more Labour councillors to local office and take control with an unquestionable majority.
Sapere Aude, im always acheery chappie whilst the idiots and buffons are still in charge of our council.
it seems alot of people like to have the micky taken out of them and enjoy being short changed when it comes to what we get from our council tax we pay.
one of the highest in the country yet we have roads that make some third world countries roads look impressive!
its time these parasites that feed in this council are removed.
hence my cheery comment!
Owdhamfan - I'm just in a good mood today and inclined to give 'em a break. Anyway why dwell on the state of the Town Hall, the town centre, the lack of a cinema, the no-go area that is Yorkshire Street at the weekend, the general way the town seems to have been left behind by the 21st century...actually, I've now succeeded in depressing myself. Damn.
This is a faustian deal that was predicatble. Now the electorate fully knows which two parties are totally devoid of morals!!!!!!!!Sykes can spend the whole year knowing...he will go down forever for this rotten deal.
owdhamfam- there are believe it or not happy people in Oldham who are proud to champion the good over the bullies who push their never ending doom and spend their lives trying to drag everybody down!
Good luck to the new administration and keep up the good work. It is appreciated and is making a real difference for those bothered to look beyond the end of their own noses
@ road rocket its called budgeting its a term used over a few years when you get a new management it changes any business is the same
@ sapere aude
you will find the things you mentioned are all a legacy of the labour council in oldham not anything to do with the crap we have had for the last year or so that raise tax to pay for their awaydays
Hi ajh! I just feel that these coalitions will not, in the long term, benefit the town or country. You can have your opinion I will have mine. No need to argue with each other just agree to disagree on certain issues. Sykes should be out of the controlling coalition after the mess his administration left behind.
fedupoldhamer - what's the obsession with the state of the roads? Makes you sound like the one of the four yorkshiremen from the Monty Python sketch:
"Well we had it tough as kids. We used to have to get up at twelve o'clock at night, and LICK the road clean with our tongues. We had half a handful of freezing cold gravel for breakfast, worked twenty-four hours a day at the mill for fourpence every six years, and when we got home, our Dad would slice us in two with a bread knife."
Sapere Aude, haven't I seen your name somewhere before? Oh, now I remember, wasn't it writ large beneath our wonderful coat of arms? Of course it was! But now we have the anal turquoise whoopee cushion which should have inscribed below, 'Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate.'
How can we help to improve our lot? Why don't WE campaign to have the great old symbol of the town restored? It's something we could be proud of, unlike the £100k abortion foisted upon us by the deadheads in the Tower!
If you want to use facts Celsus_civis, here's some for you:
1: Of the 20 seats contested, the Liberals came third in eight (40%) of them;
2: Of the 29753 votes cast in their favour, 10047 (33.73%) came from four (20%, 1-in-5) Wards
3: The Liberals lost the majority of seats
4: The Tories lost the ONLY seat they held
5: The Labour Party was the only party to gain seats while holding what they had
If that isn't a rejection by the electorate in Oldham of both Lib's and Con's, I don't know what is!
Have Your Say
Jim McMahon does a very good impression of what Nick Clegg said. Cllr Sykes really does need to look after himself a bit better.
By ProDriver @ 18/05/2010 12:43:57