Council on the Stretton narrow

THE FRIDAY THING: HISTORY has been created on Oldham Council with Jean Stretton now its first female leader.

To its credit, Oldham Council has never baulked at giving women leading posts, following in the footsteps of women to be nominated as Mayor in the wake of Ellen Brierley, Margaret Riley, Elsie Shaw, Christine Wheeler, Kay Knox and several leading female councillors.

Councillor Arooj Shah came close to beating Councillor Stretton in a two-horse race but could muster only 17 votes to Jean Stretton’s 26. Jim McMahon stood down to become MP for Oldham West and Royton and will be well aware of the quality of candidates in the council cabinet.

Councillor Stretton says that it will be “business as usual” for Oldham Council and will be well aware of the tasks that await her. Finances in all local authorities are very tight and Councillor Stretton will be in no doubt about those tasks.



FINAL WORD: You may think the dispute over where the new Saddleworth School should be built is about to end. In fact it is far from decided.

Perhaps the flooding at Diggle might focus some minds on the reality of things. The Diggle site is not only in a dangerous spot — a narrow road likely to be packed with parents’ cars — but there is also canal and express trains.

Uppermill has none of the hazards that blight the Diggle site. I’m pretty certain money will be the chief weapon here, with little regard to the benefits offered by the present school grounds, facilities and, most of all, safety.