Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from the Mayor, Councillor Chauhan, Councillor Hindle, Councillor Ibrahim and Councillor Lancaster.

RESOLVED:
That the Minutes of the meeting of Council held on 12^th July 2023, be approved as a correct record, subject to an amendment at Minute 9 (Notice of Administration Business: Motion 1 – Oldham Assurance Review – Final Stage) regarding the numbering of the resolutions, after resolution 2, which should read 3, 4 and so on.

There were no declarations of interest.

There was no urgent items of business for this meeting of the Council to consider.

The Deputy Mayor advised Council of the absence of the Mayor Councillor Chauhan and he permitted the Leader of the Council, Councillor Shah, to address the meeting thereon. Councillor Shah advised that the Mayor’s wife had recently been diagnosed with a serious illness, which meant that the Mayor would be undertaking fewer civic duties in the coming weeks and months. Council sent its best wishes to the Mayor, the Mayoress and their family at this difficult time.

The Deputy Mayor referred to the recent sad news of the passing of former Mayor and Councillor, Val Sedgwick and he permitted Councillors Sykes, Al-Hamdani, Jabbar and Woodvine to pay their individual condolences and tributes. Council held a minute’s silence in memory of former Mayor and Councillor Val Sedgwick.

The Deputy Mayor advised that Members would be aware that this is the last Council meeting that the Director of Finance, Anne Ryans, would be attending prior to her impending retirement. Accordingly, the Deputy Mayor called on Councillor Jabbar, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services, to speak in tribute to Anne’s service to the Authority and to mark the occasion with a presentation, as a mark of esteem.

(time limit 20 minutes)

There are no petitions to note.

There were no petitions for this meeting of the Council to consider.

(time limit 20 minutes)

There is no Youth Council Business to consider.

There was no Youth Council business for this meeting of the Council to consider.

(time limit 30 Minutes)

1.    Question submitted by Megan Birchall

I saw the video of the old T.J. Hughes building being demolished I can also see a visible difference already in the town centre. There’s still lots of work going on and lots to do I was wondering what the timescale is for the various projects?

Councillor Shah, Leader of the Council replied, thank you for your question. 

The new workspace in Spindles will be completed first with council staff moving into the space over the winter months ahead of the new year, this will immediately increase footfall in the spindles and spending in our town centre businesses, it will then also free up the site where the civic centre is for some much-needed housing land.

This includes moving Access Oldham and the TfGM Travel Shop into the unit that used to house H&M opposite Rhode Island Coffee, to provide a new single front door to access help and support in the Town Centre.

The HIVE social enterprise hub will also be completed later this year to support local residents with business start-up support, and to provide enhanced opportunities for local businesses to network and grow.

In 2025, the new market hall, archives & heritage centre, and the new event space are due for completion – and following the demolition of TJ Hughes the steel works for the new structure will start to go in place before Christmas this year. 

2.    Question submitted by Shadab Qumer,

I saw the press release about the new partner for the Town Centre regeneration and development of the area including housing. I want to know what type of housing will be built and will there be affordable housing for those that are finding it hard to afford good housing?

Councillor Taylor, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Housing and Licensing replied, thank you Mr Mayor and thanks to Shadab for his question.

All of us in Oldham Council are really excited about the next stage in our town centre regeneration and the appointment of Muse as our private sector development partner.

The exact type of housing that will make up the 2,000 town centres homes hasn’t yet been decided and will be subject to formal planning applications – including consultation with residents – in due course.

There will however be a range of housing to be provided, both in terms of type – i.e. the number bedrooms - and tenure and the Council will seek to ensure that a minimum of 25% of the new homes are affordable homes, as per our stated targets.

We will also look to make sure that all homes are built to zero or low carbon standards to help Oldham meet its ambitious climate emergency targets.

3.    Question submitted by Adam Pape Jones

What does appointing a private sector development partner mean?

Councillor Shah, Leader of the Council replied, Thanks, Adam for your question. Appointing a private sector partner allows the Council to harness Muse’s considerable experience, resource capacity,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

(time limit 30 minutes)

Councillor Sheldon, Leader of the Conservative Group

Question 1: Oldham Coliseum

It was noted that the Oldham Coliseum theatre closed at the end of March 2023 but according to a recently published independent report £137,000 could have saved it from closure. The Council has authorised £1 million of grant funding recently to preserve activities at Boundary Park yet has provided nothing for Oldham Coliseum. The new theatre building is smaller, with a reduced seating capacity and will lack the necessary atmosphere. Will the Leader of the Council authorise expenditure in the sum of £137,000 to, at least temporarily, keep the Coliseum theatre open?

Councillor Shah, Leader of the Council, replied that it wasn’t a decision of the Council that led to the closure of the Oldham Coliseum theatre. The building would have cost too much to properly repaired and maintained. The Council was not able to authorise additional funding but is engaged in ongoing discussions, with the Coliseum’s management committee regarding future plans.

Question 2: Government Funding

Councillor Sheldon commented on additional funding that the Council had received, from the Conservative Government to finance projects in the Oldham Borough. The additional funding included approximately £6 million for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) services and £1.5 million for various traffic and transport initiatives. Councillor Sheldon, therefore, asked if the leader of the Council would join him in welcoming the additional funding, that the Council has received, which will benefit the local community.

Councillor Shah, Leader of the Council, replied that she did indeed welcome the additional funding that the Borough of Oldham had recently received from the Government but she also advised that the Council’s services had been underfunded by the Government over a number of years.

Councillor Sykes, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group

Thank you, Mr Deputy Mayor,

I want to begin by paying tribute to all the pupils across Oldham Borough who have received their A Levels, T Levels, B Tecs, GCSEs and other qualifications recently. 
Mr Deputy Mayor, as a Council, we have MUCH work to do when it comes to education in our Borough. 
The latest OFSTED inspections across some of our secondary schools paint a very mixed picture. 

For far too many people in Oldham, there just isn’t the option of sending your children to a high performing school.

Too many secondary schools are rated as inadequate or in need of improvement. 

The impact of the pandemic years is still keenly felt across the schooling system and too little is understood about the impact that these years of disruption have had on pupil attainment. 
School absences are spiralling out of control. 

Persistent absences have risen by more than 80% in the last four years.  The damage that this missed classroom time is doing to the future life chances of our next generation cannot be overstated. 
This is unacceptable.  And it should be the top priority of this Council to help put it right.
Last month I wrote to the Director of Children’s services following  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

(time limit 15 minutes)

19^th June 2023

17^th July 2023

24^th July 2023

The Council was requested to note the minutes of the Cabinet meetings held on 19^th June 2023, 17^th July 2023 and on 24^th July 2023. The Council was asked to receive questions on these minutes, from members of the Council that are not members of the Cabinet and to receive appropriate responses from Cabinet members.

Members asked the following questions: -

a.    Question from Councillor Harkness

Further to Minute 13 of the Cabinet meeting held on 24^th July 2023, Councillor Harkness asked about the impact of local rail ticket office closures and also asked the Leader of the Council if she would enlist the support of the Borough’s three Members of Parliament and the Greater Manchester Bee Network Committee to campaign against this measure.

Councillor Shah, Leader of the Council, replied that she shared Councillor Harkness’ concerns at the proposed closure of ticket offices on the rail network and would seek the support of the Borough’s three Members of Parliament and the Greater Manchester Bee Network Committee to campaign against this measure.

b.    Question from Councillor Kenyon

Further to Minute 10 of the Cabinet meeting held on 19^th June 2023, Councillor Kenyon asked how many houses were proposed to be built on the ‘key strategic sites in Oldham Town Centre’ that were detailed in the Minute.

Councillor Shah, Leader of the Council, replied that there were no plans to build housing on these sites.

c.    Question from Councillor Hamblett

Further to Minute 9, of the Cabinet meeting held on 24^th July 2023, Councillor Hamblett asked, for progress on work being undertaken regarding the approval to award a contract under the Tree Surgery Framework.  

Councillor Goodwin, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, replied that the original contractor had withdrawn and a new contractor had started work.

d.    Question from Councillor Byrne

Further to Minute 9, of the Cabinet meeting held on 24^th July 2023, Councillor Byrne, sought clarification on the number of contracts being awarded under the Tree Surgery Framework contract.

Councillor Goodwin, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, replied that there would be five separate contracts awarded in respect of this matter.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the Minutes of the meetings of the Cabinet held 19^th June 2023, 17^th July 2023 and 24^th July 2023, be noted.

2.    That the questions above and responses thereon be noted.

(time limit 30 minutes)

Motion 1

Councillor Shah to MOVE and Councillor Brownridge to SECOND:

Fragility of the Social Care Sector

The Social Care sector is in crisis. The market is failing residents who need society’s care and support the most.

Oldham Council recently announced that it would be acquiring Chadderton Total Care Unit to prevent the nursing home from closing and creating over two-hundred redundancies and create continuity of care issues for over a hundred vulnerable residents.

The social care system is not fit for purpose and is failing the people who rely on it, despite the incredible efforts made by those who work in it.

Long-term problems, including high levels of unmet need and care providers struggling to deliver the quality of care that older and disabled people deserve, are compounded by rising demand, backlogs caused by Covid-19 and a workforce crisis.  Pressures in the NHS compound these challenges even further and can sometimes lead to ‘bed blocking’.

We need reform now – government cannot wait any longer to act.

This Council notes:

• That there are no quick and easy fixes to the crisis in social care, but this cannot be ignored.
• That the fragility of the care sector market is putting Oldhamers’ health, quality of life and livelihoods at risk
• The council continues to receive an increased number of complaints linked to unaffordability of financial contributions and linked to the cost-of-living crisis.

This Council further notes:

• The decision to acquire the Total Care Unit in Chadderton was not one taken lightly but allowing the second biggest care-home in the Borough to close would’ve been cruel. 
• The acquisition of the Total Care Unit has protected over 100 vulnerable residents from being moved out of borough and ensured that 200 hardworking social care staff did not lose their jobs.
• That the nursing sector in particular is facing huge challenges in recruiting staff, that agencies are driving up the cost and making it difficult for the NHS to compete and offer parity.

This Council resolves to:

• Use the newly created Oldham Total Care to combat bed blocking at the Royal Oldham Hospital, relieve some pressure in the social care sector and provide the support Oldhamers need in Oldham.
• Write to the Department for Health and Social Care to urge them to urgently adopt the delayed reforms to care sector funding and eligibility.
• Write to the Department of Health and Social Care to ask them to urgently commission a review on market volatility in the Care and Nursing Home Sectors.
• Work with the Integrated Care System across Greater Manchester and the North West, as well as the Association of Directors of Adults Social Services to raise awareness and address issues of care home market fragility, and lobby for reform to create a care system that meets resident’s needs, accepts that a greater personalisation of services is required, and increases the availability of care services.

Motion 2

Councillor Goodwin to MOVE and Councillor Taylor to SECOND:

No More Profit  ...  view the full agenda text for item 11.

Motion 1 – Fragility in the Social Care Sector

Councillor Shah MOVED and Councillor Brownridge SECONDED the following Motion:

The Social Care sector is in crisis. The market is failing residents who need society’s care and support the most.

Oldham Council recently announced that it would be acquiring Chadderton Total Care Unit to prevent the nursing home from closing and creating over two-hundred redundancies and create continuity of care issues for over a hundred vulnerable residents.

The social care system is not fit for purpose and is failing the people who rely on it, despite the incredible efforts made by those who work in it.

Long-term problems, including high levels of unmet need and care providers struggling to deliver the quality of care that older and disabled people deserve, are compounded by rising demand, backlogs caused by Covid-19 and a workforce crisis.  Pressures in the NHS compound these challenges even further and can sometimes lead to ‘bed blocking’.

We need reform now – government cannot wait any longer to act.

This Council notes:

• That there are no quick and easy fixes to the crisis in social care, but this cannot be ignored.
• That the fragility of the care sector market is putting Oldhamers’ health, quality of life and livelihoods at risk
• The council continues to receive an increased number of complaints linked to unaffordability of financial contributions and linked to the cost-of-living crisis.

This Council further notes:

• The decision to acquire the Total Care Unit in Chadderton was not one taken lightly but allowing the second biggest care-home in the Borough to close would’ve been cruel. 
• The acquisition of the Total Care Unit has protected over 100 vulnerable residents from being moved out of borough and ensured that 200 hardworking social care staff did not lose their jobs.
• That the nursing sector in particular is facing huge challenges in recruiting staff, that agencies are driving up the cost and making it difficult for the NHS to compete and offer parity.

This Council resolves to:

• Use the newly created Oldham Total Care to combat bed blocking at the Royal Oldham Hospital, relieve some pressure in the social care sector and provide the support Oldhamers need in Oldham.
• Write to the Department for Health and Social Care to urge them to urgently adopt the delayed reforms to care sector funding and eligibility.
• Write to the Department of Health and Social Care to ask them to urgently commission a review on market volatility in the Care and Nursing Home Sectors.
• Work with the Integrated Care System across Greater Manchester and the North West, as well as the Association of Directors of Adults Social Services to raise awareness and address issues of care home market fragility, and lobby for reform to create a care system that meets resident’s needs, accepts that a greater personalisation of services is required, and increases the availability of care services.

On being put to the vote the MOTION was CARRIED.

RESOLVED

This Council resolves to:

1.    To use the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

(time limit 30 minutes)

Motion 1

Councillor Woodvine to MOVE and Councillor Sheldon to SECOND:

A State of the Art Health Centre for Saddleworth

The Civil Parish of Saddleworth is the only District in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham to have not had the provision of a Health Centre planned for despite the overwhelming public support for one.

While the current Centre, situated in Uppermill, has given care to many people over the years, the modern medical needs of the population of Saddleworth are not met by the current site. Many people living in Saddleworth’s village communities have to travel to central Oldham for basic treatment – to Glodwick, Littlemoor, Moorside, or the Integrated Care Centre.

The provision of a state-of-the-art Health Centre of all of Saddleworth is the single biggest issue and this was made clear to The Council Leader, Councillor Arooj Shah, when she visited us in 2022 at her ‘Meet the Leader’ event in Saddleworth Civic Hall. Despite her warm words, no action has been taken.

The content of this Motion has an electoral mandate - in recent Elections, all successful Candidates in Saddleworth have been nominally or actively in favour of a Health Centre.

Increased pressure is being placed on the already stretched healthcare provisions in Saddleworth resulting from the increased house building, including the 78 dwellings on Huddersfield Road, Diggle, with the prospect of more developments to come at Knowls Lane, Birks Quarry, Bailey Mill, Fletcher’s Mill and possibly Stonebreaks in years to come.

The Member of Parliament for Oldham East & Saddleworth hosted an event too to discuss the prospect of developing a new Health Centre, but she did not invite the Councillors for the area and we have never seen any outcomes from this discussion, at which there were senior Officers of the Council.

The Integrated Care System for Greater Manchester has stated in the past that funding is not necessarily the problem in preventing progress, but the options for siting a Health Centre in Saddleworth is the stumbling block. However, a strategic site has opened up in a central, accessible location in Uppermill with the demolition of Saddleworth School and this is in the ownership of the Council.

Therefore, this Council commits:

-          To prioritise the provision of a state-of-the-art Health Centre for all of Saddleworth.

-          To commit to making the site of the old Saddleworth School mixed-use, and ear marking some space for a state-of-the-art Health Centre.

-          To improve the pitches and playing fields on the old Saddleworth School site for the use of local people, and for increased sporting provisions.

-          To consider ways to increase capacity at the Delph site in the meantime, whilst a new Health Centre is established, as it is a source of local commentary that this service is underutilised.

-          To schedule a meeting with all stakeholders, including the Leader of the Council, the Cabinet Member for Health & Social Care and the Saddleworth North, South, and West & Lees Councillors, to discuss our  ...  view the full agenda text for item 12.

Motion 1 – A State of the Art Health Centre for Saddleworth

Councillor Woodvine MOVED and Councillor Sheldon SECONDED the following Motion

The Civil Parish of Saddleworth is the only District in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham to have not had the provision of a Health Centre planned for despite the overwhelming public support for one.

While the current Centre, situated in Uppermill, has given care to many people over the years, the modern medical needs of the population of Saddleworth are not met by the current site. Many people living in Saddleworth’s village communities have to travel to central Oldham for basic treatment – to Glodwick, Littlemoor, Moorside, or the Integrated Care Centre.

The provision of a state-of-the-art Health Centre of all of Saddleworth is the single biggest issue and this was made clear to The Council Leader, Councillor Arooj Shah, when she visited us in 2022 at her ‘Meet the Leader’ event in Saddleworth Civic Hall. Despite her warm words, no action has been taken.

The content of this Motion has an electoral mandate - in recent Elections, all successful Candidates in Saddleworth have been nominally or actively in favour of a Health Centre.

Increased pressure is being placed on the already stretched healthcare provisions in Saddleworth resulting from the increased house building, including the 78 dwellings on Huddersfield Road, Diggle, with the prospect of more developments to come at Knowls Lane, Birks Quarry, Bailey Mill, Fletcher’s Mill and possibly Stonebreaks in years to come.

The Member of Parliament for Oldham East & Saddleworth hosted an event too to discuss the prospect of developing a new Health Centre, but she did not invite the Councillors for the area and we have never seen any outcomes from this discussion, at which there were senior Officers of the Council.

The Integrated Care System for Greater Manchester has stated in the past that funding is not necessarily the problem in preventing progress, but the options for siting a Health Centre in Saddleworth is the stumbling block. However, a strategic site has opened up in a central, accessible location in Uppermill with the demolition of Saddleworth School and this is in the ownership of the Council.

Therefore, this Council commits:

-          To prioritise the provision of a state-of-the-art Health Centre for all of Saddleworth.

-          To commit to making the site of the old Saddleworth School mixed-use, and ear marking some space for a state-of-the-art Health Centre.

-          To improve the pitches and playing fields on the old Saddleworth School site for the use of local people, and for increased sporting provisions.

-          To consider ways to increase capacity at the Delph site in the meantime, whilst a new Health Centre is established, as it is a source of local commentary that this service is underutilised.

-          To schedule a meeting with all stakeholders, including the Leader of the Council, the Cabinet Member for Health & Social Care and the Saddleworth North, South, and West & Lees Councillors, to discuss our priorities for the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

Councillor Shah MOVED and Councillor Sheldon SCONDED a report which presented Members with details of the actions officers have taken on Motions that were approved at the 12^th July 2023 Council meeting and informed on the response position regarding outstanding matters from previous meetings.

Resolved:

That Council notes the actions taken and notes the correspondence has been received regarding some Motions agreed at previous Council meetings.

Councillor Shah MOVED and Councillor Sheldon SECONDED a report of the Deputy Chief Executive, Director of Finance and Director of Legal Services that sought to amend the constitution as detailed in the report with the amendments to the Rules specified.

Council was advised that the Constitution required regular reviews to ensure that it remained fit for purpose and that it reflected best practice. There were a number of areas detailed, in the report, for Council to consider, appertaining to Contract Procedure Rules; Financial Procedure Rules; Access to Information Procedure Rules; and Contract Procedure Rules.

Resolved:

That the amendments to the Constitution, detailed in the report of the Deputy Chief Executive, Director of Finance and Director of Legal Services, be approved.

Councillor Mushtaq MOVED and Councillor Charters SECONDED the Youth Justice Plan 2023/24. The Oldham Youth Justice Plan sets out the strategic direction for youth justice in Oldham, taking a partnership approach to reducing re-offending, reducing the number of first-time entrants into the criminal justice system and reducing the use of custody.

There had been an acknowledgment that the plan is significant in length. However, this is dictated by the template provided by the national Youth Justice Board. A Service Development Plan was attached at Appendix 4 to the report.

Resolved:

That Council approves the Youth Justice Plan 2023/24.

Councillor Jabbar MOVED and Councillor Shah SECONDED a report of the Director of Finance concerning the Treasury Management review 2022/23. Council was required by regulations issued under the Local Government Act 2003, to produce an annual treasury management review of activities and the actual prudential and treasury indicators for 2022/23. The Director of Finance’s submitted report met the requirements of both the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Code of Practice on Treasury Management (the Code) and the CIPFA Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities (the Prudential Code).

During 2022/23 the minimum reporting requirements were that the full Council should receive the following reports: An annual treasury strategy in advance of the year (approved by Council on 2^nd March 2023); a mid-year treasury update report (which was approved by the Council on 14^th December 2022); and an annual review following the end of the year describing the activity compared to the strategy (this report) The regulatory environment places responsibility on Members for the review and scrutiny of treasury management policy and activities. This report was therefore important in that respect, as it provided details of the outturn position for treasury activities and highlighted compliance with the Council’s policies previously approved by Members.

RESOLVED:

1.    That Council approves the actual 2022/23 prudential and treasury indicators presented in the Director of Finance’s report.

2.    That Council approves the annual treasury management review report for 2022/23.