Lib-Dem fears over targets

Oldham Council Cabinet
OLDHAM Council is currently projecting an overspend of £92,000 for the end of the current financial year — but finance chief Councillor Abdul Jabbar said a balanced budget will be achieved after management action.

However, Lib-Dem councillor Lynne Thompson said: “The council’s performance report for the three months from July to September, 2011, is worrying.”

She pointed out that performance is going down in three of the four sections of the corporate plan. It is also going down in five of the nine priorities which are measured. Seven of those nine priorities are now falling short of expected performance, one of them seriously, and only two are on target.

She added: “This is appalling. And I was disappointed by Councillor Jabbar’s failure to address the poor showing. His comments were brief and inaudible — unlike when there is good news.

“At least the chief executive Charlie Parker took it on, though he chiefly blamed external factors and — amazingly — suggested that the answer was to set lower targets next year.

“The indicators of staff morale are also worrying. Sickness absence has improved on the same period last year, but staff turnover has rocketed. One fifth of staff left the council between April and September — virtually double the rate in the same period of last year.”



THE relocatiuon of the public health team from Oldham’s Ellen House to the Civic Centre is expected by next month, as the council heads towards taking full responsibility for public health in April, 2013, when NHS Oldham disbands.

A transition plan will be agreed between Oldham Council and NHS Greater Manchester by March with further guidance from the Department of Health on the responsibilities of councils on public health and public health finance expected soon.