Future is in your hands

Leader of Oldham Council Cllr Jim McMahon speaks to pupils at Failsworth School.

THE leader of Oldham Council went back to school to encourage more young people to get involved in their community.

Councillor Jim McMahon has started a tour of the borough’s secondary schools beginning at Failsworth School, where Councillor McMahon hosted two half-hour question and answer sessions with Year 10 and 11 pupils.

He said: “It’s vital to meet young people across the borough and discuss the future.

“There is a real need to help empower them to see that our future lies firmly in their hands — and that their views really do matter.

“My key message is simple: if you believe in yourselves you can achieve all that you want to in life.

“But it’s also crucial they get to see evidence of how Oldham Council, plus our schools, partners and civic leaders are working hard to help them succeed and make this a better place for them to learn, live and work.

“Schoolchildren are already residents, of course, but they’re also our future high-achievers, taxpayers, opinion formers and leaders with a huge potential role to play.

“As part of these visits I’ll also be explaining our plans in regeneration, education and economic development and how we want this to be a place that is the home of opportunities for those who work hard.

“We need to share this vision and plans with young people and take their views on board if we’re to reasonably expect them to be ambassadors and contribute co-operatively to what we’re trying to achieve.”

Delighted
He will be touring Oldham’s schools until Easter, along with Michael Jameson, director of children’s services, and youth mayor, Josh Payne.
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