2,015 jobs by 2015 is the target

The Town Hall cinema and restaurant complex

1 More Image(s) In Gallery

Gauntlet is thrown down to business community
OLDHAM Council leader Jim McMahon has called on the borough’s businesses to play a part in creating 2,015 employment opportunities by 2015.

In his speech at the One Oldham Business Awards ceremony at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Councillor McMahon highlighted some of the major regeneration projects already in the pipeline. But he stressed the major challenge was to get Oldham working - the slogan for an ambitious scheme aimed at improving the prospects for the borough’s young people.

Councillor McMahon told business leaders: “We have a large number of young people leaving school with little hope of going on to further education or employment. And that’s where you can help us.

“No one organisation, sector or approach will Get Oldham Working. We need to marshal all the resources available to the town and say we won’t stand by and see another generation cast aside, left without hope or ambition.

“By 2015 to get Oldham working we will have in place the Oldham Youth Guarantee. No young person will leave school without the guarantee of a job, education, apprenticeship or support towards self-employment.

“We want to say to every young person: if you’re willing to roll up your sleeves and get on in life you have the full support of your town.”

Councillor McMahon urged businesses to pledge their support in any way possible.

He said: “You could take on an apprenticeship with funding support for £2,000 a year; you could create a job, support local suppliers and producers. Whatever you can do will help us to build the foundation for our town’s future. Our ambition is big - so think big.”

Councillor McMahon had earlier highlighted some of the major regeneration projects he believes will provide the catalyst for change, including:

::The old Town Hall cinema and restaurant complex, beginning on site this autumn.

::Hotel Future, the luxury hotel and conference centre.

::New leisure centres.

::Investing more than £10million in giving the town a facelift.

::Funding secured to build a state-of-the-art theatre and heritage centre.

::Work underway to build a new college and new, high-quality offices for First Choice Homes.

::Building 1,000 new homes, supporting 50 mortgages for first-time buyers, bringing forward plans for new garden suburbs across the borough

::A flagship scheme for Mumps to give the town centre a much-need “gateway”.

::Plans to build on the success of Tommyfield indoor market to address the long-standing issue of the outdoor market.