Oldham’s Labour bosses slammed for gagging councillors under new rules

Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE

Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE hit out against Labour Civic Centre bosses after a move was made to cut down on the amount of time available for all councillors to raise important issues, and especially opposition councillors.

The changes to Oldham Council’s constitution which were pushed through by the ruling Labour group at the Annual Council Meeting on Wednesday (25/05/22).  The changes include a restriction on the number and time of opposition policy proposals that can be debated in meetings.  This has been reduced to just one and 10mins.

Speaking during Oldham Council’s Annual Meeting on Wednesday, councillor Sykes said, “This is only the second time I have had to rise to oppose constitutional amendments.  For two years running Labour have lost councillors at the ballot box and there are now more opposition councillors and yet the voice of opposition councillors is being reduced, or dare I say gagged.”

Liberal Democrat councillors welcomed the reinstatement of an extended time limit for questions from the public at council meetings.  Councillor Sykes said, “Public Question Time is a chance for the people of the Borough to directly challenge their leaders.”

“Liberal Democrats introduced public questions some time ago, Labour then reduced the time allowed, so we welcome this U-turn.  But instead of simply extending council meetings to accommodate these questions, Labour have decided to cut down on scrutiny time for opposition and back bench Labour councillors.  Hardly the actions of a so-called listening council is it?” Stated councillor Sykes.  “Crucially, for residents, this will mean their council leaders will spend less time being challenged on the big issues that matter most to them.”

“Labour’s proposals will make it more difficult (or impossible) for all councillors to raise contentious issues in Greater Manchester.  The minutes of transport, police, fire, National Park, the Combined Authority, and others will no longer be part of the agenda.  Therefore, questions and comments on these issues have effectively been axed.  Topics such as the Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone and safety on Metrolink services are just two recent examples of topics important to residents that will no longer be able to be effectively raised,” he added.

Councillor Sykes said, “We have just had local elections in which the people of Oldham borough saw fit to elect fewer Labour councillors.  The response from Oldham’s Labour leadership has been to cut down on the amount of scrutiny and the time for opposition councillors to speak.  This is not the move of an administration that is not prepared to learn lessons and start listening to residents and their concerns raised by their elected representatives.”