Stretton wins Council leadership race

Winner... Cllr. Jean Stretton

JEAN Stretton will be the next leader of Oldham Council after getting the backing of her fellow Labour councillors in a vote today.

Councillor Stretton went head-to-head with Councillor Arooj Shah for the position after Jim McMahon stepped down yesterday, following his election as MP for Oldham West and Royton last month.

Councillor Stretton won the election by 26 votes to Councillor Shah’s 17.

The election saw 43 Labour councillors vote for which of the two candidates they want to lead the authority.

The result is an historical one as Councillor Stretton will now become Oldham Council’s first ever female leader.  

Councillor Stretton is not yet officially elected as Oldham Council leader but as the leader of the Oldham Labour Group.

Oldham councillors from all parties must now vote to approve of the new proposed leader at an “extraordinary full council” meeting before the end of the month.

This process is seen as just a rubber-stamping.

There will now be another Oldham Labour Group vote to elect Oldham Council’s deputy leader as Councillor Stretton currently holds that position.

The vastly experienced Councillor Stretton is also the current Cabinet member for health and well-being, leading the borough on the devolution of significant new health powers and a £6billion budget to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

According to Evening Chronicle sources Councillor Shah – who many view as one to watch – impressed with a powerful presentation to Labour Group members before today’s vote but the majority still backed stalwart Councillor Stretton.

Councillor Stretton - who grew up on Alt Estate - was first elected for the ,Hollinwood ward in 2003 and made a quick impression, as after just a year of being elected, she joined the Cabinet as member for housing.

However, Councillor Stretton lost her seat in the 2008 local elections which saw the Liberal Democrats take charge of the council chamber.

She was then reelected to the ward in 2010 and has held the seat ever since.

Councillor Stretton, who has lived in Hollinwood for more than 26 years, was appointed deputy leader of Oldham Council in June, 2014.

She now has a tough act to follow as Councillor McMahon was very popular during his time as council leader.