Agenda item

(Time limit 90 minutes)

Leader and Cabinet Members to present their reports.

Non-executive members may ask questions.

 

a.    Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Building a Better Oldham – including the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held 17^th June 2024 and 15^th July 2024, the meetings of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority held 14^th June 2024 and the  meetings of the AGMA Executive Board held 9^th February 2024 and 14^th June 2024

b.    Deputy Leader and Decent Home Portfolio Holder

c.    Deputy Leader and Value for Money and Sustainability Portfolio Holder

d.    Children and Young People’s Portfolio Holder

e.    Education and Skills Portfolio Holder

f.     Enterprise Portfolio Holder

g.    Adults, Health and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder

h.    Don’t Trash Oldham Portfolio Holder

i.      Thriving Communities and Culture Portfolio Holder

 

The Mayor invited the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Members to present their reports and further invited non-executive members to ask questions thereon, as follows:

 

a.    Leader and Building a Better Oldham Portfolio – including the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held 17^th June 2023 and 15^th July 2024; the Minutes of the meeting of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority held 14^th June 2024 and the Minutes of meetings of the AGMA Executive Board held on 9^th February 2024 and 14^th June 2024.

 

Councillor Sykes, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group

Question 1: Are Oldham’s MPs in Oldham’s Corner

 

Councillor Sykes noted that since the General Election we’ve had a welcome change of government but there has been little to cheer about for the people of our Borough. 

Oldham now has a Labour government in London, a Labour Mayor in Greater Manchester, and a Labour Administration in Oldham Borough, supported by some so-called Independents. 

There is nowhere left to hide, and no one left to blame. 

The new Prime Minister has said there will be painful times ahead. 

The question is, can Oldham Labour stand up to him?  Are they in our corner or not? 

We need to see the end of the two-child cap on universal credit. 

We need to know that pensioners in Oldham will be warm this winter, and that the government will stop this poorly thought out cut to winter fuel payments.   
Local government needs a cash injection now and long-term funding reform.  So that instead of circling the financial drain, this Council can fund the services our residents need and deserve.
For years, Oldham Labour have been telling us its Oldham first and politics second and challenging the government.  It’s time to practice what you preach.
If our three Labour MPs are truly in Oldham’s corner they will support calls for the end of the two-child cap, proper local government funding reform, and the continuation of winter fuel payments.

So, will the Leader agree to write to Oldham’s MPs urging them to pledge support for those causes in Parliament on behalf of all of the people in Oldham Borough who desperately need this government to fight their corner.

 

Councillor Shah, Leader of the Council, replied that the government was still very much in its early stages and had inherited a poor economic legacy from the outgoing Conservative administration and therefore needed time to start to put things right, which she expressed every confidence that they would do so. Therefore, she would not be writing to the three Members of Parliament as requested by Councillor Sykes as it was too early in the Parliamentary cycle to be doing so.

 

Question 2: Eton Star College
Councillor Sykes asked his second question regarding the Eton Star College.  The Leader has expressed her enthusiasm for the Eton Star Oldham project on many occasions and does so again in her report on tonight’s agenda.
The decision to develop a 480-student selective sixth form in partnership with Eton College has been torn to shreds by the National Education Union.

They have pointed out the disruption this will likely cause to the current sixth form provision in our Borough, which already delivers a first-rate post 16 offer. 
There are also concerns that a selective offer will do nothing for disadvantaged young people in Oldham Borough and will only help a very small number of young people who are already achieving at a high level.

Last year’s Year 12 cohort saw an increase of nearly 300 young people.  And the numbers are expected to continue to rise until at least 2028. 

In Oldham there is a gap in our post-16 offer.  But we know that this gap is due to a lack of Entry Level study programmes. 

Back in March, Children’s Scrutiny Committee was told that Eton Star Oldham would not replace training provision that has been lost in the Borough over recent years and therefore does not enable us to bridge the gap.  
So, if Eton Star is not going to provide us with the courses our young people need… what is the Leader’s plan to bridge this very real and growing gap?
How is she working with our schools and Oldham College to ensure the right courses are on offer?
Have external providers been approached to help and if so how many and for what courses?

And can the Leader explain to the Council why she thinks Eton Star Oldham is necessary and how it will help solve these problems – never mind be offered one our Borough’s prime developed sites for its activities?

 

Councillor Shah, Leader of the Council, replied that the ethos of the Eton Star project was focused on providing educational excellence. She added that the Eton Star College would not have an admissions policy that would not exclude the most disadvantaged people/groups in the Borough and that she was looking forward to its opening in 2027.

 

Question from Councillor Ghafoor, Leader of the Oldham Group

Councillor Ghafoor sought clarification on the reasons for the closure of the Marlborough Centre in Oldham (the old Pakistani Community Centre). Councillor Ghafoor claimed that members of his group were being denied information about this matter by officers of the Council. He also sought assurances that relating to the tendering had been undertaken properly and if the views of local residents had been taken into account. Councillor Ghafoor stated that whilst he personally did not have an interest in this matter he asked if Councillor Shah did?

 

Councillor Shah, Leader of the Council, replied that she didn’t have any interest in this property or in any proposed future use. Councillor Shah confirmed that the tendering process was undertaken independently with no involvement from herself or any other Cabinet Member.

It was agreed that the Chief Executive be requested to write, via email, to all members of the Council clarifying the various issues raised in this question.

 

Question from Councillor Sheldon, Leader of the Conservative Group

Councillor Sheldon commented on the low morale amongst opposition members arising, leading to a feeling that they are not fully part of the authority. This was mainly, he said, because from the Leader’s decision to restrict the access of opposition members from certain parts of the Civic Centre, the rearranging of certain chair and vice-chair positions, at the Council meeting on 10^th July 2024 and the exclusion of opposition members from the celebrations that marked the reopening of the Coliseum Theatre. He asked therefore if the Leader would take on board his concerns and ease some of the restrictions that have been placed on opposition members?

 

Councillor Shah, Leader of the Council, replied that she was sad to have to introduce the restrictions which, she said, were imposed following some unpleasant incidents that occurred in lead-up to the Annual Council meeting on 22^nd May 2024.

 

b.    Deputy Leader and Decent Homes Portfolio Holder

The Deputy Leader and Decent Homes Portfolio Holder presented her report.

 

Question from Councillor Lancaster - Does Oldham Council have a robust, responsible approach to planning enforcement?

Councillor Taylor replied, thanking Councillor Cllr Lancaster for his question, stating that effective planning enforcement is important in terms of tackling breaches of control and maintaining the integrity of decision making.

So far in 2024 the Council has received just over 300 reported cases of alleged breaches of planning controls.

Where a breach of planning controls has been reported we will review the circumstances of each case and determine what action is appropriate and proportionate to ensure that compliance is achieved.

Formal action is reserved for those cases that cannot be resolved through informal measures where that action is justified.  In 2023, 19 formal notices were served on individuals in breach of planning controls which demonstrates our robust position in respect of planning enforcement.

 

Question from Councillor Rustidge - Can the Cabinet Member for Decent Homes confirm that if we were to pull out of PfE now that ALL Green Belt in the Borough would be subject to a developer’s free for all because they'd lose protections guaranteed within PfE?  So Green Belt sites that have been removed from the plan as potential development land over the years could come forward for development and we as a council would not be able to do much about it?

Councillor Taylor replied, thanking Councillor Rustidge for his question, stating that without PfE, we would be required to meet the nationally-set local housing need requirement for Oldham in full straight away.  We do not have enough housing land supply without Green Belt release to meet that housing requirement, and so the council would immediately be in a difficult position when it comes to deciding applications for housing development in the borough.  Our housing land supply would be so poor in this context that the "presumption in favour of sustainable development" in NPPF would kick-in, meaning that we should grant permission for any sustainable housing development, even potentially in the Green Belt, and, if we didn't, we would almost certainly lose any appeal related to those planning applications (and have significant costs awarded against us).  As such, without PfE, the risk of unplanned, ad hoc housing development taking place across the borough, including in the Green Belt, is infinitely greater, causing significantly greater harm to our borough's environment than the planned release of land for development in PfE.

 

Question from Councillor Williamson – In May this year, the BBC revealed that cavity-wall insulation fitted under government-backed green energy scheme could have failed in hundreds of thousands of homes because it was not installed properly. This leaves residents, potentially including many in Oldham, exposed to the health impact of damp and mould, which we have seen can have devastating consequences. Professionals have identified lack of oversight and regulation as major loophole in achieving successful government-backed insulation schemes. Indeed, energy suppliers inspect just 5% of the work they are responsible for overseeing, despite this work being funded with public money. Oldham council has a public health responsibility to ensure that substandard government-funded insulation work is identified and put right in Oldham Borough. Will the Cabinet Member agree to work with partners to develop a programme of inspections where work of this nature has taken place in Oldham and to report the findings back to the Council and, if necessary, the Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycock MP?

Councillor Taylor replied, thanking Councillor Williamson for her question stating that she agreed that this was a serious issue and the Council is keen to assist in dealing with the concerns expressed via the BBC. 

We are awaiting government guidance on the approach to enforcement, compliance and what work is needed to address this issue and where the duty/responsibility for securing this compliance will rest. I can confirm that currently the Government have an established complaint process for residents who are concerned about any issues with an installation. After contacting the provider asking them to resolve this issue they can contact the Green Deal Ombudsman if the complaint has not been resolved within 8 weeks, or they are not happy with the provider’s response. The contact details are as follows: - Green Deal Ombudsman; enquiries@os-energy.org
Telephone: 0330 440 1624

Councillor Taylor committed to reporting back to a future Council meeting on intended actions with partners as soon as further guidance is received from central government.

 

c.    Deputy Leader and Value for Money and Sustainability Portfolio

The Deputy Leader and Value for Money and Sustainability Portfolio holder presented his report.

 

Question from Councillor Al-Hamdani - The Council has announced an expected overspend of £25 million and has asked staff to consider voluntary redundancies. This has been largely attributed to rising demand for social care and homelessness. Why was the Council unable to forecast the rising demand for social care and homelessness, given that both have seen regular significant increases in the past few years, which have left the Council massively overspent, and in significant financial distress?

Councillor Jabbar replied that he had a longer answer which he could provide in writing but quite simply this isn’t JUST an issue of rising demand, which is always difficult to predict but also about rapidly increasing prices driven by the external market. Families are complex and lots of things can drive them to need support or drive them to crisis which means we need to intervene.

Over the last three years, the Council has invested a total of £52m into Adults and Childrens Services to try and tackle these increasing demands. But while the private sector is making millions from placements and council budgets have been starved over the last 14 years of the funds they need to build in-house provision we have limited ability to stem these cost increases.

And we are not alone, many other Councils are facing projected overspends in these services of tens of millions of pounds.

The local housing crisis has been caused by national policy decisions. Year on year national decisions on house building, increases in mortgage rates and other decisions are driving more and more people into poverty and more and more people into homelessness. And again, the lack of provision means private providers are increasing the costs we pay for temporary accommodation as demand increases.

In summary, we need national solutions to what are national challenges facing everyone in the sector. Genuinely if Cllr Al Hamdani has a magic bullet that can help us predict the future or can help us find a solution to the problems facing every council in the country then he is in the wrong job.

 

Question from Councillor S. Hussain – As a result of 14 years of Tory government, local councils like Oldham have faced significant cuts in funding, with their budgets slashed.

This has resulted in a devastating reduction in vital services, from social care to housing, education, and youth services. Services which are vital for our residents.

The impact of these cuts extends far beyond Oldham. Councils across the UK have faced similar reductions, struggling to provide the basic services their communities depend on. Public services that used to be a safety net for the most vulnerable are now stretched to breaking point. And it’s not just Oldham—across the country, communities are bearing the brunt of these cuts, with some councils on the brink of bankruptcy. 

Consequently, I urge the Deputy Leader to confirm how much funding has been lost from the decisions of the previous Conservative Govt? And how hopeful is he that the spending review will bring better news?

Councillor Jabbar replied, thanking Councillor Hussain for his question.

This Council has been forced to make over £200m worth of cuts during this time because our funding has never adequately met our demand for services.

At times I feel like a broken record in this chamber, but fourteen years of Tory austerity have hit this Council had and has made the problems in our Borough harder to deal with. This is not news.

During this time Oldham’s core spending power increased by 15.5%, compared to the England average of 26.9% - had Oldham received funding increases at the average level for England then it would have received an additional £26.3m in this year alone.

Cllr Hussain is right that this isn’t just an Oldham problem, Council’s across the country have been struggling with funding. We’ve seen services that people rely on repeatedly cut and cut.

We’re lobbying the new government hard for fairer funding and I am hopeful that we’ll get a better deal, I can tell you that the announcement of multi-year settlements is a much better position to start from and will allow local authorities to plan better for the future.

I’m under no illusions that the spending review will include tough decisions, but I’m confident that this government values local government and the services we provide to our residents.

 

Question from Councillor Akhtar – could the Portfolio Holder outline what progress is being made to ensure that citizens of the Oldham Borough can access services readily online?

Councillor Jabbar explained that work was being undertaken, across all areas of the Council, to ensure that as much information as possible was available for people to access online.

 

d.    Councillor Mushtaq – Children and Young People Portfolio

The Children and Young People Portfolio holder presented his report.

 

Question from Councillor Al-Hamdani - The Council is on track to introduce three children's homes in the borough in the current financial year. Could the Council confirm how many children's places will be made available as a result? Will the Council commit to creating a rolling programme of creating new Council-run children's homes over at least the next five years, with a target for the number of places, bringing down the financial burden on the Council for children's social care, and creating an avenue for income by creating provision for neighbouring authorities?

Councillor Mushtaq replied thanking Councillor Al-Hamdani for his question. The three children’s homes opening in 2025 will create 8 local placements for children in our care alongside the 5 placements already available in our existing provision.

As part of the children and young people placement sufficiency ambitions, the council is reviewing the residential model and creating another three homes for a further 7 placements which would deliver 20 council run placements over the next three years, providing Oldham with a more sustainable offer.  This approach is in line with other local authorities across Greater Manchester.

Given the increase in the number of looked after children in Oldham, it is envisaged that all new placements created will provide a safe and stable home for Oldham children and young people and consequently reduce the council’s financial pressure.

 

Question from Councillor Iqbal - It is extremely welcome that the recent inspection of our Children’s services has rated our services as ‘good’ but I am sure the Cabinet member would agree with me that one-word judgements and labels do not really do justice to the service people receive. With that in mind could he set out his personal priority for improving our children’s services over the next year?

Councillor Mushtaq replied thanking Councillor Iqbal for his question. The council is delighted with the outcome of the recent ILACS inspection which details that all Children’s Services were judged ‘Good’. 

The judgements are supported with a comprehensive report for each area of judgement inclusive of Help and Protection, Children in Care, Care Leavers, the impact of Leaders and overall judgement. The full report is available at the link https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50252252

The service recognises the need for continuous improvement and my three priorities for improving our children’s services are:

·         Priority 1: Improving the lives of children and young people through quality social work, working closely with our partners.

·         Priority 2: A local home for every child in care and care leaver.

·         Priority 3: A stable and permanent workforce committed to Oldham.

 

e.    Councillor Mohon Ali – Education and Skills Portfolio

The Education and Skills Portfolio Holder presented his report.

 

Question from Councillor Bishop – Could the Cabinet Member please confirm the how much has been spent annually on Alternative Education Providers in the last three years, and what percentage of the annual education budget this had represented? What steps are the administration taking to ensure that our secondary schools are improving in their ability to meet the needs of all children?

Councillor Mohon Ali replied, thanking Councillor Bishop for her question. For 2023/24 the Oldham Council alternative education provision spend was £459,107.58 for Council-commissioned provision.  Secondary schools also commissioned their own alternative education provision.  The Council does not have access to information on the level of that spend.  However, the Council does have a robust quality assurance framework in place for all alternative education provision in Oldham that includes a self-assessment, annual formal monitoring visits by SEND and Advisory Teaching staff and regular visits throughout the year, alongside an Alternative Provision (AP) provider network.

Commissioned AP is always in exceptional circumstances and always with the end goal of reintegration back to their mainstream school. Children and young people will only access AP for up to two days per week in addition to their mainstream offer.

In relation to the education system, we take a partnership approach, which incorporates schools/settings, services across education, health and social care and parents/carers.

Our SEND and inclusion strategy and improvement programme have been coproduced with parents/carers, to ensure that we take a joined-up approach to address the rising level of need.  They share common ambitions to ensure that:

·         Locally, we work collaboratively with schools/settings in a structured and targeted way. We prioritise supporting them to enhance their own provision.

·         All our specialist services in SEND & Inclusion are designed to support earlier identification and intervention to avoid the need for higher levels of support later, including alternative provision. Where it is required we work closely with our schools and providers.

·         Kingsland School is our local specialist provision who are integral in supporting the whole system in Oldham for children and young people who have social, emotional and mental health needs.

Local specialist support is of high quality, and this has been recognised in the recent ILACS and Ofsted annual conversation feedback.

 

Question from Councillor Junaid Hussain - After the visit to Oldham by the Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza where Oldham was praised for our efforts to improve school attendance, could the cabinet member update council on the overall picture of school attendance across the borough?

Councillor Mohon Ali replied, thanking Councillor Hussain for his question. Attendance at secondary schools in Oldham is above the national average and the best among similar local authorities across the country.

Primary school attendance is slightly below national average with a particular issue among younger children in reception.

Dame Rachel’s visit allowed us to share the fantastic work we have been doing to improve this including a stronger transition programme this summer, involving over 500 calls to parents and carers as they prepared for the new term which resulted in a 3% improvement in attendance rates in week 1 of the new term.

After her visit, Dame Rachel commented: “One of my young ambassadors on my national ambassadors’ team is from Oldham and told me I had to come. Oldham is trailblazing in helping kids get back to school after lockdown and the council is doing some amazing work, so I’ve come to talk to the councillors today to see how they’re making a difference to young people’s lives.”

 

Question from Councillor Al-Hamdani - The Labour Government has announced that it will be continuing the process of forced academisation for failing schools but have not got any plans in place to allow failing academies to be taken back into public hands. Given the experiences we have had of failing academies, where it has been extremely difficult to find alternative trusts to take over failing academies, will the Cabinet Member responsible be lobbying the Government to introduce legislation to address this as soon as possible?

Councillor Mohon Ali replied, thanking Councillor Al-Hamdani for his question. After visiting 5 secondaries and 2 colleges on GCSE and ‘A’ level results days in August, Councillor Ali was happy to report back on the impressive performance of both maintained schools and academies in the borough and some of the best ever outcomes for young Oldhamers. 

He expected that the Labour Government to bring forward plans for improving the school system in due course and we will work with local school and academy leaders to implement their proposals for the benefit of residents.

We are fortunate to have many successful schools and academies in our borough. Our Oldham Learning Partnership ensures that trusts contribute to the local system and that all schools and academies deliver the best possible education for Oldham residents. So, I was pleased to see the improvements that were noted by Ofsted when they visited Radclyffe, Oasis Oldham and Co-op Failsworth this year and found all three establishments to be Good. Further I was very pleased to see that Waterhead Academy will become part of E-ACT, a group with a proven track record in the borough.

He did not therefore believe that there is a need to lobby the Government to introduce legislation to address this matter.

 

f.     Councillor Fida Hussain – Enterprise Portfolio Holder

The Enterprise Portfolio Holder presented his report.

 

Question from Councillor Aftab Hussain - Could the Cabinet Member update the Council on the timetable for allocating stalls to stallholders in the new indoor market?

Councillor Fida Hussain replied, thanking Councillor Aftab Hussain for his question.

Stallholders are working closely with the markets team on the selection of stalls to the new market as well as the design and fit-out works needed as part of this process. This work will continue through Autumn. The team are working to balance the need to keep the process moving at pace, whilst respecting and allowing time for each stallholder to make their choice of location in the new market. The team only move to the next stallholder once the previous stallholder is 100% happy with their location.

 

g.    Councillor Brownridge – Adults, Health and Wellbeing Portfolio

The Adults, Health and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder presented her report.

 

Question from Councillor Hamblett - Is the Cabinet Member aware of the unjust and detrimental of the calculation that Oldham Council uses to assess the amount a disabled person contributes to their non-residential care financial package? Because of the prejudiced structure of the calculation disabled people in Oldham are disenfranchised and pushed even further under the poverty threshold than they already are. Will the Cabinet Member agree to undertake a review of non-residential care financing to ensure that assessments are carried out in a fair manner?

Councillor Brownridge replied, thanking Councillor Hamblett for his question, stating that we are in the process of reviewing our policies and procedures for Adult Social Care charging. 

As part of that process, we will be running a consultation process with Oldham residents, families and carers as well as with colleagues from various services and partners to ensure a fair charging policy is in place.

This will also be bench marked across other local authorities to ensure Oldham falls in line with authorities with similar demographics whilst also encompassing our strength-based approach. 

 The current policy is complaint with statutory minimum framework as outlined in the Care Act (2014), the Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) 2014 Regulations and the care and support statutory (CASS) guidance.

 The current charging policy for non-residential care was implemented in April 2015 and further reviewed in 2021, following the Norfolk judgement.

 

Question from Councillor Malik - Following the acquisition of Oldham Total Care by the Council, there has been a marked improvement in performance. What steps are being taken to make sure this progress is sustained and built upon?

Councillor Brownridge replied, thanking Councillor Malik for his question, regarding Oldham Total Care and the reference to marked improvement.  A detailed improvement plan had been developed, with oversight from Charlotte Walker, Assistant Director – Adult Social Care Reform & Improvement, who also holds the CQC Nominated Individual responsibility for the home. Phase one of the plan has been completed, which included thorough analysis of the financial, workforce and estates position for the home, and a focus on maximising occupancy whilst driving recruitment of staff across the business, and stabilising the home. Occupancy has improved from approximately 75% to 94% since January of this year, with approximately 130 residents now living at Total Care. The Board of Directors meets monthly and has full oversight of improvement at the home via internal governance routes established since acquisition.

Alyson Wadsworth, Quality Matron, was seconded from the Northern Care Alliance last year and remains on site full time, working with the team to make the improvements in line with the CQC quality standards, to ensure the workforce receive training relevant to their role, and maximise positive outcomes for our residents.  Further to the recent successful recruitment of a new registered manager (due to start in post early November) the team at the home, with support from key council officers in addition to Charlotte & Alyson, will move into phase two of the improvement plan which aims to build on the work to date, and ensure it is sustainable. A detailed business plan is in progress, with a focus to the future to ensure that Total Care fulfils it’s potential to become a centre of excellence for the residents of Oldham.

 

Question from Councillor Lancaster - Will Oldham Council support the Age UK campaign to save winter fuel payments?

Councillor Brownridge replied, thanking Councillor Lancaster for his question, adding that AgeUK and the Council work together on a variety of projects and services to help lift older people out of poverty.

This is the best way for the council to support those who need help – collaboration and partnership.

Most recently, as already talked about by the Leader of the Council, was our joint campaign with AgeUK using the councils Low Income Family Tracker (LIFT) to identify pensioners who are eligible for Pension Credit and not claiming.

Pension Credit gives extra money to help with living costs if you’re over State Pension age and on a low income.  It's also a passporting benefit which means it gives an individual access to other benefits like; housing benefit, council tax reduction, warm homes discount and other important support.

This council will absolutely make sure that we work to get everyone who needs it, access to both pension credit and the winter fuel payment.

 

h.    Councillor Goodwin – Don’t Trash Oldham Portfolio

The Don’t Trash Oldham Portfolio Holder presented his report.

 

Question from Councillor Murphy - The Administration was warned that cuts to Environmental Services would result in a much poorer service for residents, but Labour councillors insisted that this wouldn’t be the case. This year weed treatment was virtually non-existent in large parts of the borough and summer planting didn’t take place. What guarantee can the Cabinet Member give residents that there will be no further cuts to Environmental Services and that the service will improve going forward?

Councillor Goodwin replied, thanking Councillor Murphy for his question sating that the Liberal Democrats seem completely unaware of the financial crisis facing local government and the impact on this council.

Of course we cannot guarantee no further cuts to environmental services while budgets are reducing and demand for statutory services is increasing. We can only work hard to protect them as much as we can.

The weed spraying service was nothing to do with reductions in budgets bit was because the service was contracted to an external provider who failed to deliver to the agreed standard.  As a result, rather than dealing with additional delays by re-procuring the service, the Council decided to bring the service in house.

As a result, we have increased investment in the Service, trained additional staff, bought more equipment and materials to deliver the service. 

We appreciate that this has taken time, but given the significant investment made to bring the service in-house, we are confident that we will be able to meet the demand and resident expectations.  The weed spraying programme is being supported by teams undertaking mechanical removal and this will continue as we move forward.

 

Question from Councillor Sharp - Across the Borough a number of sections in our parks are now designated naturalist areas and form part of the Council’s bio diversity charter. These areas are left to naturalise with deferred mowing and are only cut back once or twice a year. I would be grateful if the relevant Cabinet member could highlight how much this cut back in maintenance saves the council each year?

Councillor Goodwin replied, thanking Councillor Sharp for her question, stating that Oldham Council is committed to meeting the climate and biodiversity challenge.  

Reducing mowing generates a number of benefits for the environment, these include, but are not limited to, increased biodiversity, carbon sequestration, reduced soil erosion, moisture retention, creation of natural spaces and community engagement and involvement.  All these benefits are difficult to quantify in monetary terms.

Reduced mowing areas still require ongoing management and maintenance to ensure highway safety, public safety, and sustainable growth. 

These changes do lead to some savings, but given the growth of the green space boroughwide, any savings realised are invested elsewhere.  However, understandably, there are equipment and fuel/material/ time savings for specific sites, but these have not been quantified as the service that delivers this work, does so on a boroughwide basis.

 

Question from Councillor Kouser – why were the repairs to Waterloo Bridge, Oldham taking so long?

Councillor Goodwin replied, thanking Councillor Kouser for her question and undertaking to provide her with a detailed written answer.

 

Question from Councillor Bishop - Can the Cabinet Member provide the following details relating to parking marshals at Dovestones:

a.    How much did OMBC contribute towards the parking marshals at Dovestones in the financial year 2023-2024?

b.    How much is OMBC contributing towards the parking marshals at Dovestones in the financial year 2024-2025?

c.    If there is a difference, how is it explained?

d.    How much did OMBC raise in total revenue from parking charges and fines at Dovestones in 2023-2024?

Councillor Goodwin replied, thanking Councillor Bishop for her question and confirming that the contribution from the Council towards parking control at Dovestones has remained unchanged over the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25 at £6,000 a year.

This contribution has been matched by funding from our partners United Utilities and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

I can also confirm that Pay and Display income was £159,821 and Penalty Notice Charges issued amounted to £25,629 for the period 2023-24.

 

i.      Councillor Dean – Thriving Communities and Culture Portfolio

The Thriving Communities and Culture Portfolio Holder presented his report.

 

Question from Councillor Marland - Following the recent announcement relating to the town centre development could the Cabinet Member tell us what the future of the nuclear bunker will likely to be under this building it would be a great asset indeed to have it turned into an educational facility to teach the past of cold war and life during 60s and 70s to future generations and preserve our history before it is consigned to rubble?

Councillor Dean replied, thanking Councillor Marland for her question and confirming that the Council are working closely with our Development Partner MUSE Places to progress proposals for the future of key Town Centre assets, including the Civic Centre. This includes the basement bunker, which has been visited recently by both the development partners technical advisors and relevant Local Interest Groups.

At this stage however, no final decision has been taken on the long-term future of the building, however we will be happy to provide further updates as the plans are progressed over the coming months.

 

Question from Councillor Adams - Royton has a thriving and vibrant nighttime economy.  On Sunday 25 August, in broad daylight, and in a deliberate attack, 2 youths threw bricks through the windows on The Barclay Pizza and Prosecco Bar.  What meetings has the cabinet member had with the owners of the Barclay and GMP regarding this matter?

Councillor Dean replied, thanking Councillor Adams for her question adding that he was aware of the incident that you refer to and our Community Safety Service have been in contact with Greater Manchester Police to ensure that this matter is being dealt with. Greater Manchester Police have confirmed that the incident is subject to an ongoing police investigation. To support this the leader of the Council has also met with the bar owners along with GMP and our Licensing Team.   This was also followed up by the attendance of a pub watch meeting hosted by Barclay’s.  The Community Safety Service will continue to work closely with the Police to ensure that the offenders, when identified, are dealt with appropriately. This will include the use of civil tools and powers alongside any criminal prosecution undertaken by Greater Manchester Police. The Local Authority will actively seek to exclude the offenders from the area and prohibit their association in public, to reduce the detrimental impact that their actions have had in the area.

It is a key priority for the Local Authority, Greater Manchester Police and other partners to ensure that the thriving and vibrant night-time economy you refer to continues to grow and we will take swift and decisive action to ensure that residents and business owners are protected from the unacceptable actions of a small minority of individuals who choose to blight their communities.

 

Question from Councillor Davis - Could the Portfolio Holder confirm the additional police support and other support which Lucy Powell MP and I have requested around the Alder Road area of Failsworth after the recent machete attack and antisocial behaviour in the area?

Councillor Dean replied, thanking Councillor Dean for his question adding that he was pleased to confirm that the new inspector for the area has now allocated additional resource.  This will be targeted Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.  The Councils community safety team have visited local businesses and residents with the offer of support. Additional community safety measures are also being considered. The Youth Work team are targeting the area at key times and will discuss with young people consequences of behaviour and how they may engage them into other activity.  We also will be looking for a more suitable location for them to socialise. The team also report that they have already managed to get some of the young people onto some mainstream youth activity and contact with schools has been made.

 

Question from Councillor Lancaster - From a justice and community safety perspective, could the Cabinet Member please provide update on what actions Oldham Council can and will take to address late night fireworks?

Councillor Dean replied, thanking Councillor Lancaster for his question, confirming that the Council and the wider Community Safety Partnership is committed to trying to tackle this issue on behalf of all residents. We understand how distressing the use of fireworks can be and the impact it has upon communities.

The current legislation allows for legal fireworks to be set off on private premises between the hours of 7am and 11pm throughout the year.

Unfortunately, the Council has no legal powers to take action for the illegal use of fireworks as the offences, which are criminal, can only be enforced by the Police. The demand on the Police in responding to all crime types is significant and being able to respond in time and catch somebody in the actual act of setting a firework off is very difficult.

As a partnership we continue to explore opportunities to take action to protect residents from firework nuisance.

We have been proactively sending messages out through our social media channels as part of our efforts to encourage responsible and considerate behaviours.

Through Facebook and Twitter, we have reiterated that it is illegal to let fireworks off between 11pm and 7am and that individuals should consider their neighbourhood and act responsibly.

We have also promoted reporting pathways through GMP through 101 and via the GMP online portal.

Any person with information about the illegal sale or use of fireworks can also report this anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

 

RESOLVED:

1.    That the Leader and Portfolio Holder reports be noted.

2.    That the Minutes of the meetings of the Cabinet held 17^th June 2023 and 15^th July 2024, the Minutes of the meeting of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority held 14^th June 2024 and the Minutes of meetings of the AGMA Executive Board held on 9^th February 2024 and 14^th June 2024, be noted.