Three-strong group to decide on land

A NEW group has been set up to decide what to do with charitable trust land at the Failsworth Lower Memorial Park — a key part of the plans for Oldham Athletic’s new stadium.

Oldham Council obtained a ruling from the Charity Commission last month deciding that the land is a trust.

The area is north of the Lancaster Club on Broadway and part of the proposed site for the new £20 million stadium.

Now the new group — known as The Failsworth Trust Committee — will make decisions about what is in the best interests of the land.

It is made up of Councillors Kay Knox, Mohammed Masud and Jack Hulme.

Consultation events in Failsworth and Chadderton last month considered six sites which might be used as a replacement for the charitable trust site in Lower Memorial Park, leaving that land open to development.

Councillors on Oldham Council Cabinet last week approved the new trust committee, which will have full powers to decide the land’s future.

After taking external legal advice, they also set up an advisory group, made up of independent members of the council’s Standards and Audit Committees.

They will discuss all the issues raised by the public consultation before making recommendations to the Failsworth Trust Committee.

The committee’s decisions will be binding on Oldham Council and members must at all times act in the best interests of the trust.