Plan to share services backed by councillors

Oldham COUncil

A MOVE for Oldham and Rochdale councils to share more of their services moved a step closer after councillors gave the proposal the stamp of approval.

The thumbs-up to joint working came at yesterday’s full council meeting — aweek after Rochdale Council backed the plans.

It is the culmination of three months of discussions which have seen both authorities get round the table to discuss the possibilities of joint working and to decide which services should be shared first.

Council leader Jim McMahon gave the reassurance that Oldham was not signing up to “joint working full-stop”, and said the borough would maintain its democratic independence.

“Only those elected by the people of Oldham will have the mandate to speak for the people of Oldham,” he said.

He added that the council’s primary responsibility was to continue to provide services to the public.

But with severe budget cuts of £41 million already agreed, and a further £51 million to come, drastic action was necessary.

He warned that joining forces with Rochdale to provide some services was not a risk-free option, but said short-term decisions and closing the “odd facility here and there,” would leave the borough to suffer for generations.

He said the council had to think differently, and added: “When we report back in a few months I suspect there will be more questions than answers still.”

He promised that staff and unions would be kept informed of how the process would affect them, saying: “We will only move forward if it is in the interests of the people of our borough.”

A joint advisory committee with membership from both councils will meet for the first time on June 13, and report in July.

The committee will make suggestions to each council for shared services, and if agreed, it will take take control of those functions.

Councillor Howard Sykes, leader of the Lib-Dem group, also supported the move, saying: “This is crunch time and we need to get on with it. Without progress this borough will pay a heavy price.”

The five members from Oldham on the committee are Councillors McMahon, Sykes, Shoab Akhtar, Jackie Stanton and Jack Hulme.