Housing Minister says Oldham is ‘fantastic’

Hugh Broadbent (Chief Exec FCHO), Harry Burns (FCHO Chairman) Iain Wright and Julie Hughes.

Housing Minister Iain Wright hailed Oldham as a fantastic place after dropping in on a £3.5m homes project.

The VIP visitor said he had been blown away — and not because of the gusty weather.

Mum-of-three Julie Hughes showed Mr Wright around her property in Corwen Close, Hollinwood, which has had a £30,000 overhaul.

It now boasts a new roof, windows, doors, kitchen, back and front garden, driveway and has been completely rewired.

The work was carried out as part of a £3.5 million project by First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO), which manages the borough’s council housing, to bring 74 properties in the neighbourhood up to the Government’s Decent Homes standard.

Julie (41), who works for the council’s adult duty and intervention service, said: “It’s nice and a lot better than it was with the old brown windows and the old metal roof. It’s a lot brighter.

“I could pick what colour of door I wanted, and pick the kitchen — they actually came in and did the plan with us.”

Mr Wright looked around the area where FCHO has also demolished 170 houses and worked with developer McInerney Homes to build 50 new ones, with another 32 in the pipeline.

Earlier in the day, he presented a £3,300 cheque from the FCHO’s Respect Our Community Award to Higginshaw Village and Tenants’ Association.

The cash will be used to open a tenants and residents’ office where the community, especially young people, can meet.

Invited

Mr Wright also found out more about the supported lodgings scheme to help vulnerable adults and visited the Oldham Housing Options Centre in Phoenix Street which brings together FCHO services such as housing advice, lettings, rehousing and temporary accommodation.

He revealed that he had been invited to the borough after meeting FCHO chairman Harry Burns at the House of Commons. He said: “Harry is not backwards in coming forwards and said ‘you are going to come to Oldham aren’t you?’.

“I promised I would come up and see the work that’s been done, and see what we can do, and I am really glad I did. It’s a fantastic place.

“What’s been interesting, speaking to Julie, is people listened.

“It wasn’t just a case of saying on a Friday ‘we are coming on Monday to do the work’. It was ‘we will work around you’.

“I really do not like the idea of public services saying to people, ‘you are getting your house done and you have got to be grateful’.

“It’s public services for people deciding what they want.”