Labour unveils ‘power to the people’ council

JIM McMahon: future vision

Co-operative would give residents a far bigger say
POWER to the people is Labour’s vision for the future of Oldham.

As the local elections approach, local Labour councillors have unveiled plans to make Oldham a North-West pilot Co-operative Council.

If this were to happen, it would see residents along with community and voluntary groups having a much bigger say in the way money is spent and services are delivered.

Lambeth Council was the first local authority in the country to become a Co-operative Council and the initiative has been a success there as councillors work in co-operation with residents to make decisions that affect everybody.

Speaking at the campaign launch at the Honeywell Centre in Hathershaw, Oldham’s Labour leader Jim McMahon said the ethos of Co-operative Council was underpinned by Labour values and beliefs.

He added: “By the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more than we achieve alone, so as to create for each of us the means to realise our true potential and for all of us a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many, not the few, where the rights we enjoy reflect the duties we owe and where we live together, freely, in a spirit of solidarity, tolerance and respect.

“The common endeavour is to protect Oldham from the worst of the Government cuts and to support and develop our community towards a better Oldham with vision, aspiration and hunger to be the best it can be.

“We can achieve more together than we can achieve alone because Oldham can only truly move forward by coming together and working together.”

If Oldham was to start working as a Co-operative Council, residents would see the establishment of district offices, local town halls and a new Co-operatives team working alongside citizens and local groups.

A Community Dividend programme would allow council staff to take two days leave to assist in community projects and community groups will be given help to take on council owned buildings, leaseholds and sites to create community hubs.

A Co-operative Charter would also be developed for all companies and groups delivering services for the people of Oldham through the council.

Businesses would be given the chance to join a Community Dividend Scheme whereby each of them contributes to a grants programme to help support the work of community groups.

Councillor McMahon added: “Backbench members will become local leaders with greater power influence and accountability than ever before.

“By devolving power to those who understand their community, elected with a mandate to deliver, we aim to end the frustration felt by councillors when faced with bureaucracy and put power in the hands of the many, not the few.

“A Co-operative Oldham is about a community coming together — not passing the buck.

“It’s about sharing a common purpose, its about support.

“We are keen to see volunteers taking the lead, playing a greater role in delivering services and we are all for greater power and influence to communities.

“But we are also committed to providing the professional support, guidance and training to new groups and to give support to existing groups to do more.

“But this isn’t instead of the public sector, the public sector is key to its success. We will bring together community volunteers together with public sector staff who want to help.”