Radio show probes spending cuts effect

THE devastating effects of unprecedented council spending cuts in Oldham will be aired on Radio 4 tomorrow, in a half-hour programme which puts the spotlight on the borough’s decision makers.

The 4pm show, Northern Exposure, A Cold Wind in Oldham, will hear presenter Alan Beswick bring together the results of a two-month investigation into how the unparalleled level of cuts will affect the man in the street.

The voices of Oldham Council leader Howard Sykes will be heard, along with Labour opposition leader Councillor Jim McMahon, Paul Cassidy, the head of adult services, and residents concerned about what the changes will mean to them.

They include a woman who cares for her elderly mother and is worried about the future of respite care.

Councillor Sykes will talk about the challenges faced by having to axe millions of pounds from the council budget, while still providing vital services, and Mr Cassidy will talk about the difficult job of cutting vast amounts of money from Oldham’s social care budget.

The programme will also hear from two council employees — one who has been given a compulsory redundancy notice, and another who took the plunge and accepted voluntary redundancy.

The research, which spanned two months, involved extensive recordings of council and committee meetings, and interviews with councillors and senior officers.

Tune in to 93.7FM to hear the programme.