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The Cabinet considered a report of the Executive Director of Place/Deputy Chief Executive that was seeking approval of the Open Space Interim Planning Position Paper, for publication on the council’s website, to assist in the interpretation and implementation of existing planning policies in Oldham’s Local Plan.

The Interim Planning Position Paper supported the implementation of policy 23 ‘Open Spaces and Sports’ within Oldham's Local Plan – The Joint Core Strategy and Development Management Development Plan Document, adopted November 2011. This paper superseded the previous ‘Open Space Interim Planning Position Paper’ published by the council in March 2012.

The submitted report established the council's updated position in relation to open space policy, including the threshold for policy application, the seeking of new and enhanced open space and playing pitches and outdoor sports provision.

It was intended to be read alongside the Local Plan as a whole, but in particular - Local Plan Policy 23 ‘Open Spaces and Sports’. It should also be read alongside Places for Everyone (PfE) policy JP-P7 ‘Sport and Recreation’.

The submitted report was also informed by the council’s Open Space Study (2022) and the Playing Pitch and Outdoor Sports Strategy (PPOSS) (2025) as key evidence-based documents.

The Cabinet report provided updated evidence to inform the interpretation and implementation of the policies in Oldham’s Local Plan. It was a material consideration and was intended to be used in decision making as appropriate.

The council's approach to updated national guidance and local evidence was to be considered further and to inform policy preparation as part of the Local Plan Review. 

Options/alternatives considered:

Option 1 - To approve the Open Space Interim Planning Position Paper for publication on the council’s website, to assist in the interpretation and implementation of policy 23 ‘Open Spaces and Sports’ in Oldham’s Local Plan.

The advantages to Option 1 were that approving the Open Space Interim Planning Position Paper for publication would ensure effective and consistent decision-making which is in line with local evidence and local and national planning policy. It will provide guidance to developers and planning officers on the interpretation and implementation of open space policy within the current Local Plan.

There were no reported disadvantages to Option 1.

Option 2 - To not approve the Open Space Interim Planning Position Paper for publication on the council’s website.

There were no reported advantages to Option 2.

The disadvantages to Option 2 were that not approving the Open Space Interim Planning Position Paper for publication could affect consistent decision-making and adversely impact the effective implementation of local planning policy.

Option 1 was the preferred Option.

The Cabinet was informed that as this matter was a key decision, the proposal will be considered by the Place, Economic Growth and Environment Scrutiny Board at its meeting on 24^th July 2025, which was after this Cabinet meeting.  It was therefore proposed that the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, be granted delegated authority to take the final decision on the delegation, having considered any comments made thereon by the Place, Economic Growth and Environment Scrutiny Board on 24^th July 2025.

Resolved:

That the Cabinet:

1.    Approves the Open Space Interim Planning Position Paper for publication on the council’s website, to assist in the interpretation and implementation of existing planning policies in Oldham’s Local Plan.

2.    Notes that the item will be exempt from call-in, under Rule 14 of the Constitution, as the matter will be considered by the Place, Economic Growth and Environment Scrutiny Board on 24th July 2025.

3.    Grant delegated authority to the Statutory Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, in consultation with the Executive Director of Place/Deputy Chief Executive, to take the final decision on approval of the Open Space Interim Planning Position Paper for publication, having considered any comments made by the Place, Economic Growth and Environment Scrutiny Board on 24^th July 2025.

The Cabinet considered a report of the Executive Director of Place/Deputy Chief Executive that sought approval from Members to delegate to the AGMA Executive Board the formulation and preparation of a joint development plan document with the other nine Greater Manchester councils (Bolton Bury, Manchester, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan), to cover planning for minerals and waste across Greater Manchester insofar as such matters were executive functions.

The leaders of the Greater Manchester authorities, at the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) Executive Board meeting on 28^th March 2025, had agreed to the production of a statutory Greater Manchester Joint Minerals and Waste Plan (GMJMWP).  The submitted report considered the necessary steps required in relation to seeking approval from all the Greater Manchester districts to commence preparation and to delegate its preparation to the AGMA Executive Board. 

The existing Greater Manchester Minerals and Waste Plans was required to be updated in full because they were currently out of date having previously been adopted over a decade ago. Their replacement, with a single, joint minerals and waste plan would ensure efficient compliance with national planning policies. 

Options/Alternatives considered:

Option 1:  Following the approval in principle of the above recommendation by Council to the making of a joint development plan document with the other 9 Greater Manchester councils (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan), to cover planning for minerals and waste across Greater Manchester, Cabinet is recommended to:

Delegate to AGMA Executive Board the formulating and preparing of the joint development plan document to cover planning for minerals and waste across Greater Manchester insofar as such matters are executive functions.

This option is the most efficient option and will ensure an up-to-date minerals and waste plan. There are no disadvantages to this option.

Option 2: To not delegate to the AGMA Executive Board, the formulating and preparing of the joint development plan document to cover planning for minerals and waste across Greater Manchester insofar as such matters are executive functions. This will mean that the minerals and waste plan would be unable to be delegated to the AGMA Executive Board by all ten districts, which will put at risk the timely progression of the minerals and waste plan.

Option 1 was the preferred Option.

The Cabinet was informed that as this matter was a key decision, the proposal will be considered by the Place, Economic Growth and Environment Scrutiny Board at its meeting on 24^th July 2025, which was after this Cabinet meeting.  It was therefore proposed that the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, be granted delegated authority to take the final decision on the delegation, having considered any comments made thereon by the Place, Economic Growth and Environment Scrutiny Board on 24^th July 2025.

Resolved:

That following the approval in principle by Council to the making of a joint development plan document with the other nine Greater Manchester councils (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan), to cover planning for minerals and waste across Greater Manchester, the Cabinet is recommended to:

1.    Subject to recommendation 3 below, delegate to AGMA Executive Board the formulating and preparing of the joint development plan document to cover planning for minerals and waste across Greater Manchester insofar as such matters are executive functions.

2.    Note that the following are the sole responsibility of the Council:

a)    Responsibility for giving of instructions to the Cabinet to reconsider the draft plan submitted by the Cabinet for the authority’s consideration.

b)    The amendment of the draft joint development plan document submitted by the Cabinet for the Council’s consideration.

c)    The approval of the joint development plan document for the purposes of submission to the Secretary of State for independent examination.

d)    The adoption of the joint development plan document.

3.    Note that the item will be exempt from call-in, under Rule 14 of the Constitution, as the matter will be considered by the Place, Economic Growth and Environment Scrutiny Board on 24th July 2025.

4.    Grant delegated authority to the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods to take the final decision on the delegation to AGMA Executive Board, having considered any comments made by the Place, Economic Growth and Environment Scrutiny Board on 24th July.

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Finance which provided Members with an overview of the Council’s revenue budget position for 2024/25, which reports an overspend of £10.155m. The report also highlighted the main movements from the previous forecast for the year, which was previously reported to the Cabinet on 24^th March 2025.

Cabinet was advised that the revenue overspend position for the financial year 2024/25 was £10.155m, which represented an improvement of £4.442m from the position previously reported to Cabinet. This financial monitoring report followed on from the previously reported positions and detailed the year end position. This outturn position thus reflected the significant financial pressures being faced by the Council particularly for social care services and homelessness.

An update on the 2024/25 outturn position was detailed within Annex 1, to the report. Information on the year end position of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) was also included within the report.

In addition, Cabinet was informed that the report outlined the year end capital spending position for 2024/25 for approved schemes. The revised capital programme budget for 2024/25 was £87.460m, with actual expenditure to 31^st March 2025 at £81.791m.

Options/Alternatives considered:

The Director of Finance advised that the Options that Cabinet might consider in relation to the contents of this report were:

a.    To agree the revenue and capital positions presented in the report and agree the use of Reserves to balance the revenue budget.

b.    To note the outturn position for the Dedicated Schools Grant and the Housing Revenue Account.

c.    To propose an alternative to balance the revenue budget for 2024/25.

The Preferred Options were a. and b. detailed above.

Resolved:

That the Cabinet:

1.    Notes the 2024/25 outturn position as £10.155m overspend for the year.

2.    Approves the use of Reserves to finance the overspend position.

3.    Notes the outturn position for the Dedicated Schools Grant and the forecast for 2025/26.

4.    Notes the 2024/25 outturn position for the Housing Revenue Account.

5.    Notes the capital spending position for 2024/25 as at 31 March 2025.

The Cabinet received a report of the Director of Public Health, which informed Cabinet that implementing the Live Well scheme would present an opportunity to accelerate and intensify work already started in Oldham to shift towards a preventative approach whereby residents will get the support they need, in the way they need it, in their own communities.

The Cabinet’s membership was reminded that, launched in May 2024, Live Well was Greater Manchester’s (GM) movement for community-led health and wellbeing. It aimed to support healthier, happier and fairer communities by growing opportunities for everyone to Live Well, providing everyday support in neighbourhoods. Oldham has been using a similar approach for some time, through building and supporting a strong Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector, developing a place-based approach to public services and a range of activities intended to support strong, resilient communities. The submitted report outlined an Oldham Live Well approach and the governance to implement this locally, utilising the implementation funding from Greater Manchester, which represented a total of £844,000.

Options/Alternatives considered:

Option 1 – To accept the implementation funding and conditions to roll out Live Well in Oldham. This option was preferable as it enabled Oldham to build upon the range of work developed over previous years (as outlined at Section 2 of the submitted report) and the Council’s strong desire to more towards a system with prevention and community empowerment at its heart. The funding made available will enable both investment in the VCFSE sector and consolidate the authority’s district approach through the strengthening of key hubs and spaces. This would, it was hoped, broaden the approach, whereby the Borough’s Neighbourhood teams can collaborate to support residents. This would also align with the Council’s wider reform agenda.

A key disadvantage to accepting the Live Well funding and its requirements was that currently this funding was non-recurrently available for one financial year only. Future non-recurrent or recurrent investment was unclear and it was predicated on Localities and Greater Manchester demonstrating the value proposition for Live Well.

Option 2 – To decline the implementation funding that has been made available to roll out Live Well in Oldham. The advantage to this option would be reducing the demands on council capacity to enact the initiative, however, the disadvantages, it was felt, far outweighed this advantage. Live Well was a flagship approach for Greater Manchester which had funding attached to it. Oldham could be reputationally damaged should it decline this opportunity to test approaches to community led wellbeing.

Option 1 was the preferred Option.

Resolved:

That the Cabinet:

1. Accept the Live Well Implementation Funding, including the conditions of funding, outlined in the submitted report and agrees that the grant funding is allocated to Public Health to enact. 

2. Delegates authority for the execution of all decisions regarding utilisation of the funding from the Live Well Implementation Fund to the Director of Public Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing. 

3. Delegates authority to the Director of Public Health, in conjunction with the Director of Legal Services and the Director of Finance, or their nominees, to vary existing contracts (and any associated collaborative commissioning agreements), issue grant agreements or award contracts stemming from a compliant procurement process. 

4. Delegates authority to the Director of Legal Services, or his nominee, to carry out all necessary legal formalities linked to the actions delegated to the Director of Public Health, including the execution of contracts. 
5. Agrees to the formation of the Live Well Partnership Board to support the implementation of a Live Well approach in Oldham, to accelerate and intensify the existing focus on supporting residents in our communities in partnership with a resilient VCFSE sector.