Jim bins council plastic

Oldham Council’s new leader has refused to take a credit card in a bid to reassure residents about the transparency of spending.

Labour Councillor Jim McMahon took his scissors to the leader’s card facility and declared an end to the ownership of plastic by elected officials in the borough.

But his move has been condemned as gesture politics by his Liberal Democrat opposition colleague Councillor Howard Sykes.

Councillor McMahon said councillors with plastic cards one sent out the wrong message to residents.

He added: “There is a clear danger here that the public could perceive that the card is used to fund personal items.

“There is not – nor has there previously been — any spending on luxury junkets but we have to be proactive and remove any possible doubt about that.

“Theoretically up to £56,000 could have been spent on the Leader’s credit card.

At a time when ordinary residents are struggling to pay household bills it would be unacceptable for an elected politician to have this kind of facility — the value of a mortgage to many people —available.”

But Councillor Sykes said he had been advised to have a credit card when he was leader: “It was in case you were miles from Oldham on business and needed a train ticket, things like that.

“I had one and didn’t use it for two years. It was recommended I had one just in case.

“Councillor McMahon is entitled to have one as leader of the administration but he will have declined it. It took at least two months to get my card so this is just gesture politics.”

In March, a public questioner to Cabinet was told that between April, 2010, and February, 2011, a total of £5,500 had been spent using Oldham Council credit cards on travel, accommodation, car parking, court costs, civic functions and uniforms.