Leader to address Council
Minutes:
The Leader of the Council, Councillor Arooj Shah, delivered her Annual Statement.
The Leader reminded the Council of her priorities, as set out in May 2023, when she assumed office and highlighted work that had been done and was being done to improve Oldham, to retain a resident focused approach and to provide high quality services for local people.
a. Don’t Trash Oldham – the Leader explained the importance of maintaining clean and tidy streets, parks and open spaces across the borough, a view shared by the majority of residents. Robust enforcement action was being taken to prevent fly-tipping. There was an ambitious borough-wide tree planting programme being undertaken and there had been significant investment in the borough’s parks including at Alexandra Park and Daisy Nook Country Park.
b. The Local Improvement Fund (LIF) was being developed. This was to serve as an opportunity for local resident groups to bid for funding from the LIF to fund or part-fund local improvement schemes.
c. Education opportunities were being enhanced and developed through the programme that was being developed in conjunction with Eton College and the Star Academy. This would lead to the building of a new campus in Oldham town centre and students having online access to Eton College.
d. Investment was being provided for the development of six Family Hubs across the Borough, the first of which, the Beaver Hub, had recently opened. The family hubs would provide additional resources and access to family services for the borough’s residents.
e. The Leader was anxious that the Council should, wherever possible, act to protect the interests of the borough’s most vulnerable residents. In this regard she referred to the Council’s recent acquisition of Chadderton Total Care, a privately run care home that provided a stable hone for over 100 vulnerable residents, which had encountered serious financial difficulties. The Council had intervened to secure that this care home remained open for business and that no resident would have to be relocated.
f. The Council continued to provide assistance to residents and businesses who were suffering the ongoing impact of the ‘cost of living crisis’. A range of packages and schemes were available to help local people.
g. The Council was aware of the ongoing impact of the ‘housing crisis’. Nationwide there was a problem with a lack of housing, sub-standard housing and homelessness. The Leader announced that she was shortly to convene a ‘Housing Summit’, including representatives of housing providers, landlords and tenants with the long-term aim of reducing poor quality housing and homelessness in the Borough of Oldham.
h. Regeneration work was ongoing, on a wide scale, across Oldham town centre. This included work to regenerate the Spindles shopping centre to incorporate office accommodation there in addition to enhanced retail and leisure facilities. Work was ongoing to develop the new market and to develop the Old Library Buildings at Union Street into office accommodation for members and officers.
i. The Leader reported that she had recently attended the Oldham Half Marathon, the first such event that had been held for four years. The event was well attended and provided spectators with an enjoyable event, which showcased the best of Oldham.
j. The Council was, wherever possible committed to providing new and affordable homes for the Borough’s residents.
k. The leader reported upon new plans to develop a new theatre in Oldham town centre, thereby providing an important cultural and artistic facility for the residents of the Borough to enjoy. The consultation on proposals for a new theatre had demonstrated the public’s affection for the old Coliseum Theatre and their desire to see a suitable replacement being built and opened as soon as possible.
The Leader pledged to continue to support the Borough’s most vulnerable residents and to act to remove inequality and unfairness wherever it existed. The scale of the challenges that Oldham and its people faced and the role of elected members in addressing those challenges was acknowledged.
Resolved:
That the Leader’s Annual Statement be noted.