Starting point

THE FUTURE starts here — that’s the message from Labour leader Jim McMahon.

On a night when the party snatched 10 more council seats to achieve 43 of 60 councillors, he said he was over the moon voters had put their trust in Labour.

He said: “You always leave these things feeling exhausted, yet humbled.

“It can be a very lonely job leading a town like Oldham. This gives me some vindication that the direction we’re trying to take the town in does have public support.

“I want Oldham to be a place where our educated young people choose to stay, not leave.

“I think people can see that a council under Labour control has vision and hunger for the town.”

Speaking after Labour candidates claimed victory in six Lib-Dem seats and four Conservative seats, Councillor McMahon referenced ambitious plans concerning the old town hall.

He said intentions to turn the historic building into a cinema and restaurant complex, alongside other projects for a new hotel and conference centre, demonstrate Labour means business in delivering on development.

He added that budgets have already been identified and comprehensive plans put in place to ensure that the ideas become “tangible” projects for Oldham to be proud of.

He added: “The standards we have set ourselves are tough and that is what keeps us going.”



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