Agenda item

(time limit 30 minutes)

 

Motion 1

Councillor Al-Hamdani to MOVE and Councillor Kenyon to SECOND:

No Confidence in Andy Burnham’s management of Greater Manchester Police

This Council notes that:

1. There have been no crime figures published for Oldham from July 2019 onwards. Residents are unable to download and compare crime, stop, and search, and outcome statistics in their local areas unlike, for example, in London.
2. Newsam & Ridgway’s review into CSE in Oldham, commissioned by Andy Burnham, notes the following (p40/2.17): the review started in January 2020 yet it took until November 2021 to agree a data processing agreement with GMP (for comparison, a complete data processing agreement with Oldham Council was agreed in April 2020). This data processing agreement with GMP only covered two of the 11 cases investigated – Shabir Ahmed and ‘Sophie’. Newsam and Ridgway further note that the lack of an agreement affected the quality of assurance that they could give about the quality of the conduct of GMP.
3. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMICFRS) reported that GMP was failing victims of domestic abuse in 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021. GMP was placed into special measures in December 2020
4. From 2016, all chief officers at GMP have been replaced. The only two senior posts that have remained unchanged throughout this entire period are the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Crime, Criminal Justice, and Fire – Andy Burnham and, his appointee, Baroness Beverley Hughes.
5. GMP’s failings reflect a national trend of defunding of Police by this Conservative government. Police are solving just 7% of recorded crimes.
6. The highest ever number of rape cases in the UK was recorded in 2022 – 70,330, of which just 2,223 cases resulted in charges being brought. An estimated four out of five rape cases are not reported. Rape investigations currently take an average of 465 days from being reported to someone being charged.
7. There is a backlog of nearly 59,000 cases at the crown court, and over 358,000 cases to the magistrate’s court. The backlog increased by 23% in the year prior to the COVID pandemic and has increased further since.

This Council believes that:

Victims of crime in the borough of Oldham, and across Greater Manchester, are being failed. Andy Burnham has failed and the Conservative government’s approach to policing and criminal justice has failed.

 

This Council resolves to:

Direct the Chief Executive to write to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester to inform them of Council’s lack of confidence in their ability to effectively manage GMP.

Motion 2

Councillor Quigg to MOVE and Councillor Arnott to SECOND:

Oldham Council like others who provide local services needs to strike the right balance when it comes to spending public money and how they deliver those local services.

Plans made today soon age and become historic in the changing world we live in and as quickly as circumstances around them change the need to change and adapt those plans grows stronger. Housing, transport, and local services are not purely a numbers issue, they are in fact a social, economic, and political issue. Building cohesive communities that last and that have good access to key transport infrastructure in the long term means people will want to live in those communities. That means growth and prosperity.

Sadly, Oldham has poor transport links, not helped by the fact that unlike neighbouring Rochdale which maintained its five train stations, and introduced the Metrolink, Oldham ripped out its rail links for the Metrolink, with Greenfield station officially being Oldham’s sole station.

Despite the Borough being the gateway to the Pennines Oldham has failed to capitalise on that unique position leaving us overly dependent on the economic tides of Manchester rather than opening opportunities to West Yorkshire and beyond.

As the Council focuses its regeneration projects on Oldham Town Centre, there is considerable disquiet in the districts where they feel abandoned and neglected. Given many of these districts are net contributors to the Council budget and are the growth areas for people, businesses, and housing it is not unreasonable for people who live there to ask why the Council isn’t treating them equally and invest in those districts as well.

Coupled with high levels of immigration into the United Kingdom, there has been a significant strain put on public services and community cohesion due to levels being far too high for far too long. It is why a balance must be struck with those already living here as well as maintaining a sustainable supply of housing and need. That is why we need to deliver the quality homes we need, the quality services we need whilst being aware of the genuine and legitimate concerns of residents already living in our Borough.

The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework and its subsequent replacement, the Places for Everyone plan was and is so unpalatable to so many people in the Borough due to its use of Green Belt land. The Office of National Statistics published the 2021 census relating to household growth. Their findings clearly indicate that projected household growth across Greater Manchester has been severely over-estimated over the preceding ten years (actual growth of 50,000 households as opposed to the projection of 101,000).

Oldham’s household growth was consistent with the general pattern (actual growth of 3,400 households in contrast to the projected 6,900). The Government’s stance is reasonable, and it is the Governments expectation for councils to proceed cautiously, to meet provision within an area.

However, now that we have hard data available to us in the form of the Census, we believe that the severely erroneous projections that underpin the housing targets—and therefore the Green Belt release—would qualify under the provision set by the Government that a deviation from the standard methodology would be justified in “exceptional circumstances”. If the GMCA and the councils are to maintain an evidence-based approach to planning, then the evidence needs to be correct. The evidence needs to change.

This Council resolves that:

• The Leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council use her position on the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to adjust the Places for Everyone Plan under the provision set out by the Government that the housing figures meet the request for a deviation from the standard methodology using the “exceptional circumstances” criteria.

• Brownfield sites be prioritised over Green Belt development.

• Shovel ready projects on brownfield sites are not held back by delays, and that they are included in the overall housing figures in the Oldham Metropolitan Borough.

• Oldham Council look to rationalise its brownfield site assets where reasonable and practicable.

• Local communities can access neighbourhood plans and referenda in order to sustainably build homes in their area in order to secure local support rather than through top-down targets.

• The Council confirms homeownership as being a fundamental tenant of building stronger communities.

• The Council devolve further competencies both politically and budgetary to the districts.

• That the Council look beyond funding just Oldham Town Centre and apply for funding in any future grant rounds to improve our district town centres.

• Will restrict the number HMO’s in the Oldham Metropolitan Borough area and using the Article 4 direction across the Borough, which removes permitted development rights.

• The Leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council will look to create a Pennines Economic Co-operation Board which works with neighbouring authorities on a bilateral basis and looks to maximise the potential economic benefits of maximising the opening of new road and rail links between Oldham and West Yorkshire.

The Council further resolves:

• That the Chief Executive will write to the government to:

i. Seek a meeting with the Department of Transport and relevant Oldham Council Cabinet member to seek extra funding for improved transport in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham.

ii. Explore the options of reopening existing railway stations such as those at the Middleton Junction in Chadderton, Diggle in Saddleworth or a new Oldham line which connects to Oldham, Manchester and West Yorkshire for both freight and passenger services which can service the Borough more widely.

iii. Support the government’s plans to control immigration and deter illegal immigration into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

 

Motion 3

Councillor Rea to MOVE and Councillor Hindle to SECOND:

Regulation of HMO’s

With an ever growing number of HMO’s popping up across the borough, all Councillors must be aware of the increased frustration caused to neighbouring residents and the place they live.  We are aware of the extra congestion these properties cause and that good, essential family homes are being removed from the current market. Currently in Failsworth we have an historic area being swamped with such developments and the character and appeal to this historic place is being lost on a rapid scale.

It can only be seen as a positive thing that we have residents who look upon their community favourably and want certain standards to be upheld where they live.  They do afterall pay a high premium with their council tax for the pleasure of living in this Borough.  It’s to the detriment of local residents that the adverse impacts of the HMO’s saturating areas causing doctors, dentists and other services to be strained.  We are not increasing services to cope with the increased number of residents we are allowing to reside, at a fraction of the cost to those who live in family homes.  We want more for the areas we live.  We want our residents to remain proud of where they live.  Typically, HMO residents aren’t taking part in community life, we want to encourage to build on existing communities and see the next generation grow where their parents intended them to. 

This Council Notes

• Council tax is per property and does not reflect the number of adults in each HMO property

• HMO’s cause the loss of affordable family homes and this council recognises the need to keep decent family homes available to the market for families to purchase

• HMO’s cause the loss of S106 monies on houses that are not being built to meet the demand of areas in the borough

This Council resolves to:

• Gather the evidence to monitor the situation, paying attention to minimise any potential negative impacts HMO’s are having on areas. Also, to work with Councillors and residents to protect the interests of the residents, in the future development of HMO’s.

• That automatic development rights are removed for HMO’s of up to six occupants and that they are to seek planning permission for a HMO of any size.  Enforcing an Article 4 direction
• Limit the number of HMO’s in the Borough and certain areas within it
• A consultation takes place with neighbouring residents, when development opportunities are sought by landlords to develop HMO’s

• Write to the Secretary of State for levelling up, housing & Communities, requesting changes to the current HMO legislation, to enable local authorities to have more control.

 

Motion 1 – No Confidence in Andy Burnham’s Management of Greater Manchester Police

 

N.B. Councillor Murphy, having declared an interest at Minute 4, above, left the room during the discussion and determination of this Motion.

 

Councillor Al-Hamdani MOVED and Councillor Kenyon SECONDED the following Motion:

This Council notes that:

1. There have been no crime figures published for Oldham from July 2019 onwards. Residents are unable to download and compare crime, stop, and search, and outcome statistics in their local areas unlike, for example, in London.
2. Newsam & Ridgway’s review into CSE in Oldham, commissioned by Andy Burnham, notes the following (p40/2.17): the review started in January 2020, yet it took until November 2021 to agree a data processing agreement with GMP (for comparison, a complete data processing agreement with Oldham Council was agreed in April 2020). This data processing agreement with GMP only covered two of the 11 cases investigated – Shabir Ahmed and ‘Sophie’. Newsam and Ridgway further note that the lack of an agreement affected the quality of assurance that they could give about the quality of the conduct of GMP.
3. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMICFRS) reported that GMP was failing victims of domestic abuse in 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021. GMP was placed into special measures in December 2020
4. From 2016, all chief officers at GMP have been replaced. The only two senior posts that have remained unchanged throughout this entire period are the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Crime, Criminal Justice, and Fire – Andy Burnham and, his appointee, Baroness Beverley Hughes.
5. GMP’s failings reflect a national trend of defunding of Police by this Conservative government. Police are solving just 7% of recorded crimes.
6. The highest ever number of rape cases in the UK was recorded in 2022 – 70,330, of which just 2,223 cases resulted in charges being brought. An estimated four out of five rape cases are not reported. Rape investigations currently take an average of 465 days from being reported to someone being charged.
7. There is a backlog of nearly 59,000 cases at the crown court, and over 358,000 cases to the magistrate’s court. The backlog increased by 23% in the year prior to the COVID pandemic and has increased further since.

This Council believes that:

Victims of crime in the borough of Oldham, and across Greater Manchester, are being failed. Andy Burnham has failed and the Conservative government’s approach to policing and criminal justice has failed.

This Council resolves to:

Direct the Chief Executive to write to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester to inform them of Council’s lack of confidence in their ability to effectively manage GMP.

 

A vote was taken on the MOTION which was LOST

 

Motion 2 – Provision of Local Services

 

Councillor Quigg MOVED and Councillor Arnott SECONDED the following Motion:

Oldham Council like others who provide local services needs to strike the right balance when it comes to spending public money and how they deliver those local services.

Plans made today soon age and become historic in the changing world we live in and as quickly as circumstances around them change the need to change and adapt those plans grows stronger. Housing, transport, and local services are not purely a numbers issue, they are in fact a social, economic, and political issue. Building cohesive communities that last and that have good access to key transport infrastructure in the long term means people will want to live in those communities. That means growth and prosperity.

Sadly, Oldham has poor transport links, not helped by the fact that unlike neighbouring Rochdale which maintained its five train stations, and introduced the Metrolink, Oldham ripped out its rail links for the Metrolink, with Greenfield station officially being Oldham’s sole station.

Despite the Borough being the gateway to the Pennines Oldham has failed to capitalise on that unique position leaving us overly dependent on the economic tides of Manchester rather than opening opportunities to West Yorkshire and beyond.

As the Council focuses its regeneration projects on Oldham Town Centre, there is considerable disquiet in the districts where they feel abandoned and neglected. Given many of these districts are net contributors to the Council budget and are the growth areas for people, businesses, and housing it is not unreasonable for people who live there to ask why the Council isn’t treating them equally and invest in those districts as well.

Coupled with high levels of immigration into the United Kingdom, there has been a significant strain put on public services and community cohesion due to levels being far too high for far too long. It is why a balance must be struck with those already living here as well as maintaining a sustainable supply of housing and need. That is why we need to deliver the quality homes we need, the quality services we need whilst being aware of the genuine and legitimate concerns of residents already living in our Borough.

The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework and its subsequent replacement, the Places for Everyone plan was and is so unpalatable to so many people in the Borough due to its use of Green Belt land. The Office of National Statistics published the 2021 census relating to household growth. Their findings clearly indicate that projected household growth across Greater Manchester has been severely over-estimated over the preceding ten years (actual growth of 50,000 households as opposed to the projection of 101,000).

Oldham’s household growth was consistent with the general pattern (actual growth of 3,400 households in contrast to the projected 6,900). The Government’s stance is reasonable, and it is the Governments expectation for councils to proceed cautiously, to meet provision within an area.

However, now that we have hard data available to us in the form of the Census, we believe that the severely erroneous projections that underpin the housing targets—and therefore the Green Belt release—would qualify under the provision set by the Government that a deviation from the standard methodology would be justified in “exceptional circumstances”. If the GMCA and the councils are to maintain an evidence-based approach to planning, then the evidence needs to be correct. The evidence needs to change.

This Council resolves that:

• The Leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council use her position on the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to adjust the Places for Everyone Plan under the provision set out by the Government that the housing figures meet the request for a deviation from the standard methodology using the “exceptional circumstances” criteria.

• Brownfield sites be prioritised over Green Belt development.

• Shovel ready projects on brownfield sites are not held back by delays, and that they are included in the overall housing figures in the Oldham Metropolitan Borough.

• Oldham Council look to rationalise its brownfield site assets where reasonable and practicable.

• Local communities can access neighbourhood plans and referenda in order to sustainably build homes in their area in order to secure local support rather than through top-down targets.

• The Council confirms homeownership as being a fundamental tenant of building stronger communities.

• The Council devolve further competencies both politically and budgetary to the districts.

• That the Council look beyond funding just Oldham Town Centre and apply for funding in any future grant rounds to improve our district town centres.

• Will restrict the number HMO’s in the Oldham Metropolitan Borough area and using the Article 4 direction across the Borough, which removes permitted development rights.

• The Leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council will look to create a Pennines Economic Co-operation Board which works with neighbouring authorities on a bilateral basis and looks to maximise the potential economic benefits of maximising the opening of new road and rail links between Oldham and West Yorkshire.

The Council further resolves:

• That the Chief Executive will write to the government to:

i. Seek a meeting with the Department of Transport and relevant Oldham Council Cabinet member to seek extra funding for improved transport in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham.

ii. Explore the options of reopening existing railway stations such as those at the Middleton Junction in Chadderton, Diggle in Saddleworth or a new Oldham line which connects to Oldham, Manchester and West Yorkshire for both freight and passenger services which can service the Borough more widely.

iii. Support the government’s plans to control immigration and deter illegal immigration into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

 

AMENDMENT

 

Councillor Hulme MOVED and Councillor Goodwin SECONDED the following AMENDMENT

Oldham Council like others who provide local services needs to strike the right balance when it comes to spending public money and how they deliver those local services.

Plans made today soon age and become historic in the changing world we live in and as quickly as circumstances around them change the need to change and adapt those plans grows stronger. Housing, transport, and local services are not purely a numbers issue, they are in fact a social, economic, and political issue. Building cohesive communities that last and that have good access to key transport infrastructure in the long term means people will want to live in those communities. That means growth and prosperity.

Sadly, Oldham has poor transport links thanks to funding cuts by successive Conservative Governments.

As the Borough of Oldham is the gateway to the Pennines, we are in a unique position to develop links between Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire.

As the Council focuses on delivering its ambitious plans for the Oldham Town Centre Regeneration, we continue to explore opportunities to carry regeneration projects in the districts such as the redevelopment of Royton Town Hall, Diggle Clock Tower, Chadderton Town Hall, Northern Roots, Foxdenton & Broadway Green, Hollinwood Junction and our focus on delivering services at a neighbourhood level.

Since the coalition government implemented austerity measures on local government, there has been a significant strain put on public services and community cohesion. It is why a balance must be struck with those already living here as well as maintaining a sustainable supply of housing and need. That is why we need to deliver the quality homes we need, the quality services we need whilst being aware of the genuine and legitimate concerns of residents already living in our Borough.

The original GMSF was unpalatable to so many people in the Borough due to the number of allocations on Green Belt land, thanks to the hard work of the former Cabinet Member for Housing and Officers at Oldham Council, it’s replacement Places for Everyone removes swathes of the Green Belt from the plan. Oldham Council continues to monitor Local Housing Need and recognises that Oldhamers want good quality affordable housing in the Borough.

The Conservative led Government cannot be both friends to developers who want to build on our greenbelt and blame local authorities for following their direction.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that in establishing Local Housing Need Local Authorities should use the 2014 based household projections as a starting point.  The GMCA has already requested that more up to date figures be used but the Government refused to change the guidance.

This Council resolves that:

•        The Leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council continues to use her position on the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to monitor the Places for Everyone plan and ensure that Oldham's housing needs are met.

• That insofar as national planning policy allows, brownfield sites will continue to be prioritised over Green Belt development by the administration. 
• To continue to ensure shovel ready projects on brownfield sites are not held back by delays, and notes that they are included in the overall housing supply (SHLAA) in the Oldham Metropolitan Borough.
• Oldham Council continues to rationalise its brownfield site assets where reasonable and practicable, including the regeneration of the civic centre site after the council moves into the Spindles Shopping centre.
• Local communities can access neighbourhood plans which need to be adopted by referenda in order to sustainably build homes in their area in order to secure local support rather than through top-down targets.
• The Council confirms homeownership as being one of the fundamental tenets of building stronger communities and regrets that due to the recent Conservative Government crashing the economy home-ownership is now unattainable by many Oldhamers.
• The Council continues to deliver its plans for Place Based Integration, as set out in the Oldham and Corporate Plans, to district and neighbourhood level.
• That the Council continues to look for funding beyond Oldham Town Centre and apply for funding in any future grant rounds to improve our district town centres.
• Regrets that the high evidence base for an Article 4 direction relating to HMO permitted development rights is not met.
• The Leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council will look to create a Pennines Economic Co-operation Board which works with the GMCA, WYCA and both Mayors, to maximise the potential economic benefits of maximising the opening of new road and rail links between Oldham and West Yorkshire.

The Council further resolves:

The Chief Executive will write to the government to:

i.              Seek a meeting with the Department of Transport, TfGM, and the relevant Oldham Council Cabinet member to restore public transport funding that has been cut by consecutive Conservative Governments.

ii.            Build on the initial work done by Oldham’s Members of Parliaments regarding the option of reopening existing railway stations such as those at the Middleton Junction in Chadderton, Diggle in Saddleworth or a new Oldham line which connects to Oldham, Manchester and West Yorkshire for both freight and passenger services which can service the Borough more widely.

iii.           Request that the government restore brownfield remediation funding to help make brownfield sites more attractive to developers, instead of insisting that Oldham meet its housing targets through developing on Greenbelt land.

 

 

On being put to the Vote the AMENDMENT was CARRIED.

 

On being put to the Vote the MOTION as AMENDED was CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED:

This Council resolves that:

•        The Leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council continues to use her position on the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to monitor the Places for Everyone plan and ensure that Oldham's housing needs are met.

• That insofar as national planning policy allows, brownfield sites will continue to be prioritised over Green Belt development by the administration. 
• To continue to ensure shovel ready projects on brownfield sites are not held back by delays, and notes that they are included in the overall housing supply (SHLAA) in the Oldham Metropolitan Borough.
• Oldham Council continues to rationalise its brownfield site assets where reasonable and practicable, including the regeneration of the civic centre site after the council moves into the Spindles Shopping centre.
• Local communities can access neighbourhood plans which need to be adopted by referenda in order to sustainably build homes in their area in order to secure local support rather than through top-down targets.
• The Council confirms homeownership as being one of the fundamental tenets of building stronger communities and regrets that due to the recent Conservative Government crashing the economy home-ownership is now unattainable by many Oldhamers.
• The Council continues to deliver its plans for Place Based Integration, as set out in the Oldham and Corporate Plans, to district and neighbourhood level.
• That the Council continues to look for funding beyond Oldham Town Centre and apply for funding in any future grant rounds to improve our district town centres.
• Regrets that the high evidence base for an Article 4 direction relating to HMO permitted development rights is not met.
• The Leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council will look to create a Pennines Economic Co-operation Board which works with the GMCA, WYCA and both Mayors, to maximise the potential economic benefits of maximising the opening of new road and rail links between Oldham and West Yorkshire.

The Council further resolves:

The Chief Executive will write to the government to:

iv.           Seek a meeting with the Department of Transport, TfGM, and the relevant Oldham Council Cabinet member to restore public transport funding that has been cut by consecutive Conservative Governments.

v.            Build on the initial work done by Oldham’s Members of Parliaments regarding the option of reopening existing railway stations such as those at the Middleton Junction in Chadderton, Diggle in Saddleworth or a new Oldham line which connects to Oldham, Manchester and West Yorkshire for both freight and passenger services which can service the Borough more widely.

vi.           Request that the government restore brownfield remediation funding to help make brownfield sites more attractive to developers, instead of insisting that Oldham meet its housing targets through developing on Greenbelt land.

 

Motion 3 – Regulation of HMO’s

 

Councillor Rea MOVED and Councillor Hindle SECONDED the following Motion:

With an ever growing number of HMO’s popping up across the borough, all Councillors must be aware of the increased frustration caused to neighbouring residents and the place they live.  We are aware of the extra congestion these properties cause and that good, essential family homes are being removed from the current market. Currently in Failsworth we have an historic area being swamped with such developments and the character and appeal to this historic place is being lost on a rapid scale.

It can only be seen as a positive thing that we have residents who look upon their community favourably and want certain standards to be upheld where they live.  They do afterall pay a high premium with their council tax for the pleasure of living in this Borough.  It’s to the detriment of local residents that the adverse impacts of the HMO’s saturating areas causing doctors, dentists and other services to be strained.  We are not increasing services to cope with the increased number of residents we are allowing to reside, at a fraction of the cost to those who live in family homes.  We want more for the areas we live.  We want our residents to remain proud of where they live.  Typically, HMO residents aren’t taking part in community life, we want to encourage to build on existing communities and see the next generation grow where their parents intended them to. 

This Council Notes

• Council tax is per property and does not reflect the number of adults in each HMO property

• HMO’s cause the loss of affordable family homes and this council recognises the need to keep decent family homes available to the market for families to purchase

• HMO’s cause the loss of S106 monies on houses that are not being built to meet the demand of areas in the borough

This Council resolves to:

• Gather the evidence to monitor the situation, paying attention to minimise any potential negative impacts HMO’s are having on areas. Also, to work with Councillors and residents to protect the interests of the residents, in the future development of HMO’s.

• That automatic development rights are removed for HMO’s of up to six occupants and that they are to seek planning permission for a HMO of any size.  Enforcing an Article 4 direction
• Limit the number of HMO’s in the Borough and certain areas within it
• A consultation takes place with neighbouring residents, when development opportunities are sought by landlords to develop HMO’s

• Write to the Secretary of State for levelling up, housing & Communities, requesting changes to the current HMO legislation, to enable local authorities to have more control.

 

1^ST AMENDMENT

 

COUNCILLOR K. Phythian MOVED and Councillor Dean SECONDED the following amendment:

With an ever-growing number of HMO’s popping up across the borough, all Councillors must be aware of the increased frustration caused to neighbouring residents and the place they live. We are aware of residents, concerns on the potential impact of HMOs.

It can only be seen as a positive thing that we have residents who look upon their community favourably and want certain standards to be upheld where they live. Residents are rightly proud of where they live, and we all want the best for our neighbourhoods and key public services. We regret that public services have been decimated by austerity and that home ownership remains out of reach for many young Oldhamers.

We want more for the areas we live. We want our residents to remain proud of where they live. We want to encourage Oldhamers to stay in the Borough and build their own families here as their parents did.

This Council Notes

• Council tax is per property and does not reflect the number of adults in each HMO property.
• HMO's can cause the loss of affordable family homes and this council recognises the need for decent and affordable homes available to the market for families to purchase.
• The burden of evidence to impose an Article 4 direction is too high, and that because of this more HMO's are created due to the government's decision when implementing the Town and Country Planning Order (General Permitted Development) (2015)

This Council resolves to:

• Continue to gather the evidence to monitor the situation, paying attention to minimise any potential negative impacts HMO’s are having on areas. Also, to work with Councillors and residents to protect the interests of the residents, in the future development of HMO’s.
• That automatic development rights for HMOs of up to six occupants be removed IF and WHEN the threshold for an Article 4 Direction is met. So developers are required to seek planning permission for a HMO of any size.

• Recognise that when managed by good landlords HMO’s meet the housing needs of some Oldhamer’s, but that residents have concerns around the number of inadequate landlords converting decent homes into HMOs solely for profit in particular neighbourhoods.
• Where HMOs are developed that require Planning Permission, the council will continue to consult with neighbouring residents, when development opportunities are sought by landlords to develop HMO's.
• That the Chief Executive will write to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities and request that the current planning regulations are reviewed and insist that local planning authorities are able to have more control overdevelopments and changes of use in their boundaries. 

 

On being put to the Vote the AMENDMENT was CARRIED.

 

2^ND AMENDMENT

 

COUNCILLOR C. Gloster MOVED and Councillor Al-Hamdani SECONDED the following amendment:

 

• With an ever-growing number of HMOs popping up across the borough, all Councillors must be aware of the increased frustration caused to neighbouring residents and the place they live.  We are aware of the extra congestion these properties cause and that good, essential family homes are being removed from the current market. Currently in Failsworth we have an historic area being swamped with such developments and the character and appeal to this historic place is being lost on a rapid scale.
  It can only be seen as a positive thing that we have residents who look upon their community favourably and want certain standards to be upheld where they live.  They do after all pay a high premium with their council tax for the pleasure of living in this Borough.  It’s to the detriment of local residents that the adverse impacts of the HMO’s saturating areas causing doctors, dentists and other services to be strained.  We are not increasing services to cope with the increased number of residents we are allowing to reside, at a fraction of the cost to those who live in family homes.  We want more for the areas we live.  We want our residents to remain proud of where they live.  Typically, HMO residents aren’t taking part in community life, we want to encourage to build on existing communities and see the next generation grow where their parents intended them to.

This Council notes

• That last year, the Liberal Democrat Group recommended the restriction of HMOs in their written submission to Oldham’s Local Plan and additionally raised the issue at the full council meeting in November 2021 – outlining the need for action with regards to the proliferation of HMOs across the Borough;
• That there has been insufficient progress since the Liberal Democrat Group’s intervention last year and the administration must now act to control HMOs;
• Council tax is per property and does not reflect the number of adults in each HMO property;

• HMOs cause the loss of affordable family homes and this council recognises the need to keep decent family homes available to the market for families to purchase;

• HMOs can cause the loss of S106 monies on houses that are not being built to meet the demand of areas in the borough.

This Council resolves to:

• gather the evidence to monitor the situation, paying attention to minimise any potential negative impacts HMOs are having on areas. Also, to work with Councillors and residents to protect the interests of the residents, in the future development of HMOs;

• pursue the removal of automatic development rights from HMOs of up to six occupants, and to require planning permission for an HMO of any size (enforcing an Article 4 direction), and to seek to enforce HMO licensing on properties which are currently excluded as having too few residents;
• limit the number of HMOs in the Borough, and each area within it;
• conduct consultations with neighbouring residents when development opportunities are sought by landlords to develop HMOs, and afterwards should there be concerns about ASB introduced with the HMO;
• write to the Secretary of State for levelling up, housing & Communities, requesting changes to the current HMO legislation, to enable local authorities to have more control.

 

On Being put to the Vote the 2^nd AMENDMENT was LOST.

 

On being put to the Vote, the MOTION as AMENDED (1^st Amendment) was CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED:

This Council resolves to:

• Continue to gather the evidence to monitor the situation, paying attention to minimise any potential negative impacts HMO’s are having on areas. Also, to work with Councillors and residents to protect the interests of the residents, in the future development of HMO’s.
• That automatic development rights for HMOs of up to six occupants be removed IF and WHEN the threshold for an Article 4 Direction is met. So developers are required to seek planning permission for a HMO of any size.

• Recognise that when managed by good landlords HMO’s meet the housing needs of some Oldhamer’s, but that residents have concerns around the number of inadequate landlords converting decent homes into HMOs solely for profit in particular neighbourhoods.
• Where HMOs are developed that require Planning Permission, the council will continue to consult with neighbouring residents, when development opportunities are sought by landlords to develop HMO's.
• That the Chief Executive will write to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities and request that the current planning regulations are reviewed and insist that local planning authorities are able to have more control over developments and changes of use in their boundaries.