Failure is not an option

PLAYING catch up: council leader Councillor Jim McMahon believes Oldham was left behind as other areas in Greater Manchester benefited from regeneration

Oldham Council leader outlines Labour’s 50 achievements in 100 days
IT’S been 100 days since one of the youngest council leaders in the country took charge.

Councillor Jim McMahon believes it has been an energising start for himself and the new Labour regime at Oldham Council.

Seizing control from the Lib-Dems earlier this year, the 31-year-old has outlined 50 achievements he believes the Labour Party has notched up in the borough in its short tenure.

Among the list is securing the futures of both Oldham Athletic and Oldham Roughyeds in the borough — plus the slashing of councillors’ allowances and stopping the use of credit cards by councillors.

The council leader spoke exclusively to the Chronicle about his time as town hall head and his future determination to put a stop on timewasters and money wasted on “mundane” buildings.

“We spend 99 per cent of our time dealing with 1 per cent of the population, who want to cause the council grief, who want to talk Oldham down, who want to be a thorn in the side of local councillors.

“So maybe they need to step back and look at themselves a bit.

“The 99 per cent of the population, who get on with their lives and want to do the best for their families, who want Oldham to succeed, who by and large have confidence in those elected to do their job, are only getting 1 per cent of the work and that’s not equitable.

“So that’s going to be stopped.”

The council leader claims Oldham has a “lot of catching up to do” when it comes to regeneration because Oldham was left behind as the focus was on other areas in Greater Manchester.

Now he states the council’s regeneration platform is hoping to address some of that gap.

Councillor McMahon revealed around £250,000 a year is spent simply on securing old buildings, which he claims is “ridiculous”.

“We need to be more concentrated, especially when it comes to heritage.

“We spent quite a lot of money on quite mundane buildings and some very poor buildings. We need to get that sorted.”

“When people talk about government waste, that’s one area we are looking at.”

Councillor McMahon, who was elected as a borough councillor at the tender age of 23 in 2003, is hoping this Labour regime will be judged on their “results”.

He said: “Hopefully the first 100 days have been a good example of the energy we have got and failure is not an option.



Labour’s 50 claims of success
:: Oldham Athletic’s multi-milllon pound regeneration programme.

:: Oldham Roughyed’s future at Whitebank Stadium.

:: Living Wage for council employees.

:: Reduced number of cabinet members.

:: Funding for two benefits and welfare advice officers.

:: Cooperative Commission introduced.

:: Devolved over £2 millon to neighbourhoods.

:: Six district town halls established, with 500 staff to follow.

:: Councillors’ credit cards stopped.

:: War memorials’ renovation programme.

:: Chauffeur-driven councillors and officers stopped.

:: Councillors’ allowances reduced by 10 per cent.

:: Junior University programme reinstated.

:: Funding of a new high-speed broadband link to Oldham.

:: End to the cycle of “redundancies to pay for redundancies” — which will save up to £2.5million a year.

:: Revised district identity policy to promote local identity.

:: Submit accounts for approval, one of the first councils in England to do so.

:: Reopen limecroft respite care centre.

:: Scrapped the council’s propaganda paper.

:: Signed development agreement for regenerating Hollinwood.

:: Reinstated free parking on council car parks for blue badge holders.

:: Removed charges for residents’-only parking permits.

:: Scrapped car parking charges at countryside centres.

:: Reduced staffing in the leaders’ office, saving £60,000.

:: Allocated over £360,000 for area investments such as play areas.

:: Scrapped Trust Oldham

:: Recharged over £200,000 to Unity Partnership for rent on Henshaw House.

:: Stopped the closure of Stoneleigh Primary School.

:: Supported five Oldham businesses to submit applications to the Regional Growth Fund worth over £10 million.

:: Plans brought forward to refurbish the borough’s war memorials, worth £150,000 this year.

:: Agreed proposals to build over 100 new properties in Freehold.

:: Building of 700 new homes on Primrose Bank and Crossley estates.

:: Building over 50 new homes at St Mary’s.

:: Transfer of Boston House.

:: Relocated 60 jobs from liverpool to Oldham as part of Unity deal.

:: Hollinwood to become first electric car showroom and charging point.

:: Councillor development programme — local leaders.

:: Oldham Olympic Legacy kick-started.

:: Legal action now brought against owners of Royton Assembly Hall.

:: Funding for Union Street improvements.

:: Dispute between care homes and council about fee package resolved.

:: Devolved Oldham in Bloom to all six districts.

:: Leader’s Blog introduced.

:: Cabinet Advisory Panels introduced.

:: Hosted Britain In Bloom.

:: Funded repairs to Oldham Way footbridge.

:: Hosted Parks Green Flag judges — retaining seven Green Flags.

:: Signed contracts for Oldham and Rochdale Streetlighting PFI programme.
:: Exchanged contracts for a new home for Oldham Boxing Club.

:: Chadderton library’s long-term future secured.