Stoller Charitable Trust 'appalled' at council's cuts to Mahdlo budget

Sir Normal Stoller CBE KStJ DL

Sir Norman Stoller, founder of the Stoller Charitable Trust, has described Oldham council's decision to slash the budget for Mahdlo Youth Zone in the town as "reprehensible".

Last month, the Council budget meeting confirmed the current contribution of £400K to Mahdlo would be cut to £200K over two years with £100K withdrawn immediately.

Now, Sir Norman, whose Charitable Trust was one of the founding sponsors of Mahdlo says the decision by the authority is "short sighted".

In a letter seen by the Oldham Chronicle, the former owner of Seton Healthcare says: "Mahdlo Youth Zone has a right to be proud of the very high standard that it achieves in all of the elements of youth services it provides throughout the Borough. Its effectiveness can be judged in many ways and especially by the reduction of anti-social behavior orders that are issued.

"The Council has announced that due to its own pressures, it has sliced its support to Mahdlo by £200K, by way of a £100K reduction for each of the next two years. We find this decision to be not only completely reprehensible in view of the resultant damage that any reduction of support would cause, but also totally short-sighted as well."

In the letter, Sir Norman praised the "excellent" work by the team at Mahdlo in helping to break down barriers and reach isolated young people.

"Working within the core of Oldham’s communities, Mahdlo provides essential support to help the next generation grow and reach its potential. Mahdlo also gives the Borough’s young people the chance to participate in positive, exciting and constructive activities. Having this opportunity has inspired and motivated many to transform their lives, and they deserve the best start in life that Mahdlo can give them."

Sir Norman says the Stoller Charitable Trust was proud to play a part in "ensuring that Mahdlo could carry out it's essential work, but we are appalled by the threat to further progress that now exists by way of the Council’s decision."

Councillors have agreed to make savings of £8.9m in the next financial year.  Leader Cllr Sean Fielding says that broken promises by central Government had left the authority struggling to balance the books.  He told the full council meeting: "We’re having to make some really tough decisions about how we cut our cloth further in the year ahead.

"We’re way past the point of being able to remove things that people won’t miss."

You can read the full letter from Sir Norman Stoller CBE KStJ DL here

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.