£114,000 bill to support leader

TAXPAYERS spent £114,035 on staff for council leader Howard Sykes.

The cost covers a secretary and four interim posts which are currently being reviewed: a support assistant, an administrative assistant, an assistant secretary and an apprentice.

The figure was revealed in answer to a question submitted by Saddleworth parish councillor Ken Hulme, who said that Oldham had the highest council tax in Greater Manchester. However, he claimed that it offered some of the poorest services.

He also demanded to know how the staffing levels compared with that of previous leaders.

Councillor Sykes said comparison was meaningless because his role was “fundamentally different” with a new committee set-up, more queries as a result of e-mail, greater partnership working and more responsibilities at Greater Manchester and regional level.

He added: “All this is changing Oldham’s previously inward-looking, insular approach.

“The council has recently strengthened its arrangements for supporting all councillors. Support has also been put in place for both the main opposition leader and the leader of the Conservative group in order that they can discharge their responsibilities more effectively.”

Councillor Sykes again defended the council’s decision to send 11 representatives to the three-day Local Government Association conference in Harrogate. This was the second time that Councillor Hulme had questioned the £8,352 trip, although he was not at a previous meeting to hear the answer.

The leader reiterated a number of benefits and added: “This year’s conference was also important to hear first-hand some of the emerging policy changes that a possible Conservative Government might introduce should it win the next general election. All of which is key to the council planning its future strategy.”