All budget cuts must be ‘open’

Oldham Cabinet Meeting

OPENNESS and transparency is key to shaping next year’s budget, according to Oldham’s deputy leader Jackie Stanton and cabinet member for finance Lynne Thompson.

The cabinet was last night considering a potential savings package of nearly £1.8 million as part of a bid to save £17.3 million to balance next year’s budget.

Director of finance Peter Timmins warned that more work on the budget could find more holes such as the failure to meet £4.2 million by efficiency savings this year by £1.8 million.

But member for regeneration Councillor Mohib Uddin said after the meeting that the old Labour administration got its sums wrong.

He said: “They were hopelessly optimistic in their estimates of where savings could be made.

“Labour projected savings of £4.2 million however it now turns out that £1.8 million of that is not achievable.”

But Councillor Stanton added: “What’s very important to emphasise is that these are potential savings for consideration at this stage — nothing concrete has yet been decided.
“Not unreasonably, some service users have expressed concerns about some of the proposals reported in local media. They should be assured that these are part of a host of options put forward for consideration.”

Last week, the Chronicle reported that High Barn Day Centre, three libraries and the tourism service could close in the latest round of cuts to balance Oldham Council’s budget.

Councillor Dave Hibbert, Labour, proposed that these items be deleted from the budget cuts and urged the council to focus on other areas to save money. But that proposal was given the thumbs down.


£3m sports complex is approved

A MULTI-MILLION pound sports complex to improve facilities for all communities in the heart of Hathershaw and Fitton Hill was given approval.

New Deal for Communities (NDC) submitted a plan to develop a £3million sport zone on land in Rosary Road.

The proposals include six or 10 all-weather Muga pitches (multi use games areas) which can be used for mini football tournaments, basketball, rugby etc.

The NDC programme will invest £1.8m to make the £3m scheme a reality and is currently negotiating with the Football Association and other sources to find the additional funding.

The cabinet approved the use of the land for the proposed development subject to planning permission, the commitment of £1.8 million NDC grant to the project, a total development cost of up to £3 million subject to additional sources of grant fun ding being secured.

The planning application for the Sports zone will be submitted in December and following approval in February the scheme will start on site March or April. The scheme will be completed within 22 weeks.


Repairs backlog

OLDHAM is facing a bill of millions for failing to keep its property properly maintained.

The council currently has a repairs and maintenance backlog estimated at £75.3m.

If schools and council houses are excluded, the remainder of its property estate needs some £10.65m for upkeep.

The council hopes to reduce the maintenance backlog by rationalisation of office accommodation to achieve a 25 per cent reduction in floor space over the next five years; getting rid of surplus property and centralisation of repairs and maintenance budgets.

The backlog estimates do not include properties held by the regeneration directorate — for example, the Old Town Hall which is in a poor state and essential repairs could cost in excess of £3million.

But if buildings held by regeneration come back into use for council or community purposes, the maintenance backlog estimate could be much higher.

Councillors agreed to recover the maintenance backlog of the council’s properties.


First Choice homes

FIRST Choice Homes Oldham was given authorisation to manage and let empty private sector homes acquired under an Early Wins Housing Market Renewal (HMR) project.

Acquired in 2003, these houses were intended as transfer homes for residents displaced by HMR in areas including Derker and Werneth.

Several have been sold under the council’s Property Xchange scheme.

Three houses not taken up under Property Xchange will be offered to first-time buyers under another initiative, Property Homestep.


Schools a step closer

Councillors decided to submit the outline business case to the Government as part of £230 million plans to refurbish and rebuild all the borough’s crumbling secondary schools.

The plans include closing five schools: Breeze Hill, Counthill, Grange, Kaskenmoor and South Chadderton to be replaced with two city academies. One Catholic high school will be created by merging Our Lady’s and St Augustine’s.

Business Case to the government by the end of February.