The biggest party pledges in this year’s election - in their words

Council elections are just around the corner, with the people of Oldham invited to cast their votes into the ballot box on Thursday, May 2.

Residents across the borough will be able to pick one candidate to represent their local area in the council chambers. 

This year, 20 of the 60 council seats are up for election.

But this year’s vote could significantly change the political make-up of the local authority. 

The council is made up of 31 Labour councillors, ten Liberal Democrats, eight Conservatives and 11 independent candidates, including localised groups like the Failsworth Independents. 

Oldham Labour has a majority of one giving them overall control of the council.

That’s after two councillors recently changed allegiances. Nyla Ibrahim and Shoab Akhtar left the Labour party moments before the election candidates were announced, citing leader Keir Starmer’s stance on Gaza as their reasons. 

If Labour loses a total of just one seat on May 2, the council would go into No Overall Control, and it could be several weeks before the local authority figures out a new structure of leadership.  

The 20 candidates come from a large range of different parties and political allegiances across Oldham, but what are they promising local residents?

Here’s a quick round-up of what the main parties and biggest independent groups are promising for this local election. 

Labour: 

We will build new homes for local people giving the next generation a foot on the housing ladder, older people secure accommodation, and new affordable quality social housing. 

We will invest in family services, schools and apprenticeships so that the next generation can thrive.

We will ensure every school is good or outstanding, ending the postcode lottery holding young people back.

And we will build on our successful Get Oldham Working programme which has supported 13,000 people into work.
Oldhamers work hard for their vehicles and shouldn’t have to fear damage by potholes.

We will invest £3.8m purging potholes on our roads, on top of the £5.975m spent last year.

We are also investing £4.2m to clean up our streets plagued by littering and flytipping.

And a further £100k in pest control. 

Council leader Arooj Shah said: “We’re working hard for a brighter future for Oldham.”

Lib Dems: 

Liberal Democrats offer Oldham Borough a much-needed change of direction after 13 years of Labour. 

We would seek to remove Oldham from the ‘Places for Everyone’ Greenbelt development scheme - prioritising brownfield land and ex-industrial land for redevelopment.

We would deliver a range of homes, without concreting over the Green Belt.

Liberal Democrats would secure a vibrant future for Oldham Coliseum Theatre and keep the Coliseum at its’ home, on Fairbottom Street, where it belongs. 

People across Oldham are sick of the Council failing to get the basics right under Labour. 

Liberal Democrats will fund improvements to our roads, footpaths, and we will revitalise our parks and green spaces.

We will really crack down on environmental crimes like litter, dog fouling and fly-tipping.

We will end Labour’s obsession with Oldham town centre vanity projects, and we will spend cash in the districts and villages so that everyone gets a fair deal. 

Oldham Conservatives

Oldham Council finds itself on the brink of collapse due to the chaos at the Civic Centre under Labour.

Oldham Conservatives are focused on working with all sides to fix the mess and help deliver for our local communities.

The elections this May are pivotal and could see Labour lose overall control of the council, replacing it instead with a balanced Council which listens to all sides.

Our plan is focused on local priorities with:

– Council tax freeze
– £1.3m extra for neighbourhoods, parks, and school safety
– £1.1m extra to fight fly-tipping and keep our streets clean
– £2.3m extra to address the scourge of potholes 

Oldham Conservatives will continue to oppose any building on Green Belt and promote a policy of “Brownfield first” and “local homes for local people”. 

We will stand by our pledge to vote for an independent inquiry into historic Child Sexual Abuse in Oldham.

Greens 

The Green Party philosophy and policies put people before profit, the work we would do as councillors would improve the lives of residents, rather than making them more difficult.

The Green Party is clear that wrong choices are being made by the government and at local authority level.

We need informed decisions about difficult subjects, Green Party councillors would do that.

The Green Party has been campaigning in Oldham since 2014.

We have supported protests against building on the Green Belt, and led on a successful campaign to secure compensation for tenants of Great Places Housing Association.

The conflict in Gaza needs to be challenged by everyone who cares about human rights.

Our first vigil outside Oldham Hospital was held after the destruction of Shifa hospital. 

We will continue to protest until the government and the Labour party changes its position on licences for the arms industry.

Independent Groups 

The Failsworth independent Party

For a small party we have come a long way, building a reputation at Council for being assertive and challenging whilst staying respectful and professional. 

We pledge to maintain effective working relationships to benefit Failsworth, to continue to be a strong voice for our residents, striving for a better, cleaner area to be proud of, being there for everyone and bringing the community together.

We work hard in our area and have seen the benefits, with major improvements to our green spaces.

We are constantly looking to improve the well-being of residents and promote community groups.

We focus on bringing people together and not getting involved in some of the more toxic and divisive groups that are detrimental to the area.

We are neighbours and friends who love the area in which we live and promise to do the best we can to represent the area the right way.

Crompton and Shaw independents

The Shaw and Crompton Independents are a community group committed to reversing 30 years of economic decline and social neglect.

We believe politics is the problem and not the answer.

We are asking residents to place their trust in us, giving us the opportunity to work in the interests of residents where others have clearly failed.

Our aims:

A new funding deal to make up for thirty years of asset stripping and neglect.

Protecting our Green Spaces from profiteering developers by removing Oldham from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Places for Everyone Plan.

Making HMOs will have to go through proper planning scrutiny.

Giving residents a voice on the impact of such developments within their communities.

A full Independent Inquiry into historic child sex abuse within the borough.

With unrestricted access to documentation, testimony, and council resources. 

Full council support for residents in opposing rogue installers of Internet and telecoms equipment.

Other independents 

There are also a number of other independent candidates standing in Oldham. These are: 

Zaheer Ali (Alexandra) 
Carol Hardie (Alexandra) 
Peter Brown (Chadderton Central) 
Lisa Roddy (Chadderton Central) 
Irfat Ahmed Shajahan (Chadderton Central) 
Mohammed Shah Alam (Chadderton North) 
Mohammed Ali (Chadderton South) 
Montaz Ali Azad (Coldhurst) 
Mustafa Ahmed Mustak (Coldhurst) 
Ewan Edge (Hollinwood) 
Ian Whitehead (Hollinwood) 
Shamas Altaf (Medlock Vale) 
Muhammad Yasir (Medlock Vale) 
Jade Hughes (Royton South) 
Christopher Marshall (Saddleworth North) 
Paul Errock (Saddleworth South) 
Paul Shilton (Saddleworth West and Lees) 
Amoy Lindo (St James) 
Aisha Kouser (St Marys) 
Stuart Allsop (Waterhead) 
Naveed Tariq Chowhan (Waterhead) 
Amjad Ali (Werneth) 
Nyla Ibrahim (Werneth) 

Other parties 

At time of publication, Reform UK and the National Housing Party had not responded to a request for their campaign pledges.

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