Moving Oldham forward

COUNCIL chiefs have defended a board given the job of reviewing their performance — and insist it has helped take Oldham forward.

The Oldham Improvement Board (OIB), made up of local councillors and representatives from the Audit Commission, Government Office North-West and the Regional Improvement and Efficiency Board, was asked to oversee an improvement plan for council services and monitor council progress.

Its final report said the council had made a landmark improvement over the last two years, highlighting securing Metrolink’s arrival in the town centre, a high satisfaction rate for waste disposal and street cleaning, the success of the Sports Development Service and an outstanding fostering service.

Saddleworth parish councillor Ken Hulme put questions to the council’s Cabinet asking how much it had cost taxpayers to date, who appointed the board’s members, and how much it will cost next year.

In response, Councillor Lynne Thompson, Cabinet member for performance and value for public money, said the cost of £9,604 made it a “no-brainer” and she wouldn’t hesitate to take the same approach again.

She said the board was needed to scrutinise the Lib-Dem’s plans to overhaul the declining council and tackle the £20 million budget black hole they had inherited from Labour.

She added: “We were looking for critical challenge from experienced and well-respected figures in local Government in order to help us firstly deliver stability for the borough and then to assist with our planned journey to take the borough forward.

“I want to make it abundantly clear that I make no apologies for the action we took in setting up the board and it has proved to be not only an extremely cost-effective body but an excellent example of an ‘invest to save’ project. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Sir Les Elton and Steve Jones for their sterling work on the Improvement Board — their contribution to taking Oldham forward is really significant.”

The board, appointed by the leaders of the three main political parties, has met on seven separate occasions and the costs include professional and expert support. The board concluded its work in June so there will be no more costs.

Councillor Thompson listed achievements including winning Britain in Bloom in 2009, anti-social behaviour down by 15 per cent this year and 27 per cent last year, a £10 million investment in highways, a new Regional Science Centre, improving exam results and a £1.45 million investment in Oldham Coliseum.