Editor provides talking point

New editor Dave Whaley (left) welcomes Councillor Mark Alcock, Innovative Technology chairman Dave Bellis and Greater Manchester Chamber’s Oldham policy manager Michelle Geoghegan

SEVENTY people turned up to meet new Chronicle editor Dave Whaley over breakfast at The Talking Point, Scouthead.

The audience included politicians, commercial and industrial business leaders, representatives from the borough’s health and education sectors, charitable and public bodies, the voluntary sector and Greater Manchester Chamber.

They heard a message of enthusiasm and a promise of engagement from Dave, who took over when Jim Williams retired in April, after nine years as his deputy.

An Oldham lad, Dave started as a junior at the Chronicle before leaving for a career in Lincolnshire and then Birmingham before returning home.

Re-iterating the message that the Chronicle will always report the news, good and bad, and present itself as a check and balance on the council and other public bodies, he enthused his audience by promising the newspaper would be balanced in its approach to coverage of major events in the borough.

Dave also promised to clean up what he described as some of the intolerant and abusive letters in the paper as well as similar posts on the website — “messages that have no place in our society and which do not make a contribution to meaningful debate.”

He added: “Don’t get me wrong, we will print constructive criticisms but we will remove the spiteful and abusive comments that do not make a contribution.”

Dave told his audience that he wants the newspaper to the heart of Oldham’s regeneration as a place and society, seen as a forum for debate and a catalyst for all elements to move forward into a new decade.

A lively question-and-answer debate took the gathering way past the cut-off point and many stayed behind for coffee in the magnificent surroundings that is the Talking Point conference centre. My personal thanks go to each and everyone person who turned up. In particular, to Steve Heywood from Lloyds TSB for financially supporting the event — and promising support for others — and to Emily and Richard and Talking Point for embracing the idea so enthusiastically.

See you all the next one!