Oldham Council#Oldham child sexual exploitation scandal

{{further|County Borough of Oldham}}

The town of Oldham had been governed by improvement commissioners from 1826.{{cite web |title=Oldham Improvement Act 1826 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo4/7/117/contents/enacted |website=legislation.gov.uk |publisher=The National Archives |access-date=31 May 2024}} In 1849 the town was incorporated as a municipal borough, governed by a body formally called the 'mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Oldham', generally known as the corporation, town council or borough council.{{cite book |title=A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5 |date=1911 |publisher=Victoria County History |location=London |pages=92–108 |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol5/pp92-108 |access-date=31 May 2024 |chapter=The parish of Prestwich with Oldham}} When elected county councils were established in 1889, Oldham was considered large enough to provide its own county-level services, and so it became a county borough, independent from the new Lancashire County Council, whilst remaining part of the geographical county of Lancashire.{{cite web |title=Oldham Municipal Borough / County Borough |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10186778 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=31 May 2024}}

File:Parliament Square and the Old Town Hall, Oldham (geograph 6003292).jpg: Council's headquarters until 1977]]

The larger Metropolitan Borough of Oldham and its council were created in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 as one of ten metropolitan districts within the new metropolitan county of Greater Manchester. The first election was held in 1973. For its first year the council acted as a shadow authority alongside the area's seven outgoing authorities, being the borough council of Oldham and the urban district councils of Chadderton, Crompton, Failsworth, Lees, Royton and Saddleworth (the latter was in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the others were all in Lancashire). The new metropolitan district and its council formally came into being on 1 April 1974, at which point the old districts and their councils were abolished.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government Act 1972|year=1972|chapter=70|schedule=1|access-date=30 May 2024}}

The metropolitan district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor, continuing Oldham's series of mayors dating back to 1849.{{cite web |title=District Councils and Boroughs |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1974/mar/28/district-councils-and-boroughs#S5CV0871P0_19740328_CWA_145 |website=Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) |access-date=30 May 2024 |date=28 March 1974}} The council styles itself Oldham Council rather than its full formal name of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council.{{cite web |title=Find your local council |url=https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council/oldham |website=gov.uk |access-date=31 May 2024}}

From 1974 until 1986 the council was a lower-tier authority, with upper-tier functions provided by the Greater Manchester County Council. The county council was abolished in 1986 and its functions passed to Greater Manchester's ten borough councils, including Oldham, with some services provided through joint committees.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government Act 1985|year=1985|chapter=51|access-date=5 April 2024}}

Since 2011, the council has been a member of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, which has been led by the directly elected Mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017. The combined authority provides strategic leadership and co-ordination for certain functions across Greater Manchester, notably regarding transport and town planning, but Oldham Council continues to be responsible for most local government functions.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Greater Manchester Combined Authority Order 2011|year=2011|number=908|access-date=30 May 2024}}{{cite web |title=Understand how your council works |url=https://www.gov.uk/understand-how-your-council-works |website=gov.uk |access-date=30 May 2024}}

In 2011, Oldham declared its ambition to become a "co-operative council", aiming to find better ways of working for and with local communities.{{cite news |last1=Johnstone |first1=Richard |title=Oldham shows how co-op councils can work, says think-tank |url=https://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2012/10/oldham-shows-how-co-op-councils-can-work-says-think-tank |access-date=1 June 2024 |work=Public Finance |date=11 October 2012}} The council went on to be one of the founder members of the Co-operative Councils Independent Network, established in 2012.{{cite web |title=About us |url=https://www.councils.coop/about-us/ |website=Co-operative Councils Innovation Network |access-date=1 June 2024}}

Oldham Youth Council, formed in 2006, now has constitutional power on Oldham Council – a national first. The Youth Council is democratically elected every two years via a borough-wide election run in schools, colleges and youth organisations.{{Cite web|url=https://oldhamyc.com/|title=Oldham Youth Council – A democratic voice of young people in Oldham|date=4 December 2024}} The group now has its own section on the agenda of each meeting of Full Council at Oldham Council where it can raise and debate issues and hold councillors to account.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/local-government-network/2013/nov/22/oldham-youth-council-young-people|title=Oldham Youth Council: empowering young people in the community|newspaper=The Guardian |date=22 November 2013 |last1=Council |first1=Oldham Youth }}

In 2020, Oldham Council bought the shopping centre "The Spindles" with the intent of renovating the shopping centre and local market grounds.

Oldham Council provides metropolitan borough services. Some strategic functions in the area are provided by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority; the leader of Oldham Council sits on the combined authority as Oldham's representative.{{cite web |title=GMCA Members |url=https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/who-we-are/gmca-members/ |website=Greater Manchester Combined Authority |access-date=30 May 2024}} There are two civil parishes in the borough at Saddleworth and Shaw and Crompton, which form an additional tier of local government for their areas; the rest of the borough is unparished.{{cite web |title=Election Maps |url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/ |publisher=Ordnance Survey |access-date=30 May 2024}}

The council has been under no overall control since the 2024 election, being led by a Labour minority administration.{{cite news |last1=Hall |first1=Charlotte |title=Labour narrowly retain control of Oldham Council |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1ww73e0pp9o |access-date=31 May 2024 |work=BBC News |date=22 May 2024}}

Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms took effect has been as follows:{{cite web |title=Compositions calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/?page_id=3825 |website=The Elections Centre | date=4 March 2016 |access-date=10 August 2022}}{{cite news| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/elections/local_council/08/html/bp.stm | title = Oldham | access-date = 2010-04-09 | work = BBC News Online | date=2008-04-19}}

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Oldham. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1974 have been:{{cite web |title=Council minutes |url=https://committees.oldham.gov.uk/mgCalendarMonthView.aspx?GL=1&bcr=1 |website=Oldham Council |access-date=1 September 2022}}

Following the 2024 election, the composition of the council was:{{cite news |title=Local elections 2024: full mayoral and council results for England |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2024/may/02/local-elections-2024-full-council-results-for-england |access-date=21 May 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=4 May 2024}}

The next election is due in May 2026.

{{also|Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council elections}}

Since the last boundary changes in 2023, the council has comprised 60 councillors representing 20 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council (one councillor for each ward) elected each time for a four-year term of office. The wards are:{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Oldham (Electoral Changes) Order 2022|year=2022|number=778|access-date=1 June 2024}}

{{div col|colwidth=15em}}

• Alexandra
• Chadderton Central
• Chadderton North
• Chadderton South
• Coldhurst
• Crompton
• Failsworth East
• Failsworth West
• Hollinwood
• Medlock Vale
• Royton North
• Royton South
• Saddleworth North
• Saddleworth South
• Saddleworth West and Lees
• St James'
• St Mary’s
• Shaw
• Waterhead
• Werneth

{{div col end}}

File:Oldham - The Spindles Shopping Centre - geograph.org.uk - 1493562.jpg

Council meetings are held at Oldham Civic Centre, which was purpose-built for the council in phases between 1962 and 1977.{{cite news |last1=Barlow |first1=Nigel |title=Eerie reminders of a nuclear Armageddon in Oldham |url=https://aboutmanchester.co.uk/eerie-reminders-of-a-nuclear-armageddon-in-oldham/ |access-date=1 June 2024 |work=About Manchester |date=21 May 2015}} The council is in the process of vacating the building; most of the council's staff moved to offices on the upper floors of the Spindles Town Square shopping centre in early 2024.{{cite news |last1=Hall |first1=Charlotte |title=A new era for Oldham as civic centre prepares to face the bulldozers |url=https://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/139/main-news/155403/a-new-era-for-oldham-as-civic-centre-prepares-to-face-the-bulldozers |access-date=1 June 2024 |work=Oldham Evening Chronicle |date=7 March 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Hall |first1=Charlotte |title=£65m project sees Oldham council move into new HQ |url=https://www.questmedianetwork.co.uk/news/oldham-reporter/65m-project-sees-oldham-council-move-into-new-hq/ |access-date=1 June 2024 |work=Oldham Reporter |publisher=Quest Media Network |date=4 March 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Bridge |first1=Olivia |title=Oldham Council offices open at Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre |url=https://www.theoldhamtimes.co.uk/news/24158155.oldham-council-offices-open-spindles-town-square-shopping-centre/ |access-date=1 June 2024 |work=Oldham Times |date=4 March 2024}}

File:The Old Library and Art Gallery Union Street - geograph.org.uk - 493753.jpg

Council meetings are due to move to a new council chamber being created in the town's old library on Union Street, which had been built in 1883.{{NHLE|desc=Library and Art Gallery, Union Street|num=1282573|grade=II|access-date=1 June 2024}}{{cite web |title=Old Library takes next step in return to former glory |url=https://www.oldham.gov.uk/news/article/2540/old_library_takes_next_step_in_return_to_former_glory |website=Oldham Council |access-date=1 June 2024 |date=2 August 2023}} Prior to completing its move to the Civic Centre in 1977, the council had been based at the Old Town Hall on Yorkshire Street, which had been completed in 1841.{{NHLE|desc=Town Hall|num=1201655|grade=II|access-date=1 June 2024}}

The borough's coat of arms is based on the crest of the former Oldham County Borough and includes within it symbols to identify the other six districts that make up the Borough. These are the former urban districts of Chadderton, Crompton, Failsworth, Lees, Royton and Saddleworth.

The Shield is derived from the former arms of Oldham showing three white owls (a pun on "Owldham") and three red rings giving the initial letter "0".

Above it is the closed helm proper to Civic arms with its twisted crest-wreath and decorative mantling. Upon the wreath stands the Crest. The owl is shown on its rock rising from a gold circlet charged with the three red rings from the shield.

The two red griffins identify the other districts by the heraldry of their chief manorial families which are some of the most famous in history. They include the Chaddertons (connected with Chadderton, Failsworth, Crompton and Lees) and the Chethams (connected with Crompton). Both families are branches of the de Traffords whose red griffin is also seen at Eccles and elsewhere. As a necessary difference, they wear collars with fluted edges like those in the arms of the Radcliffes (Oldham, Royton and Chadderton). On the collars are the three red "bendlets" on white, of the arms of the Byrons (Failsworth, Crompton and Royton).

From each collar hangs a white heptagon symbolic of the united seven authorities. On the left one is the black "mullet" of the Asshetons (Oldham and Chadderton) and on the right Saddleworth is represented by a black saddle in reference to the name of its derivation – a settlement on a saddle-shaped ridge.

The Oldham Council motto "Sapere Aude" means "dare to be wise" with the word "Aude" containing the syllable "Owd" of the local pronunciation of "Owdham" or "Owldham."

{{Update|section|date=August 2022}}

Oldham Council introduced the office of Youth Mayor in 2009 when Mohammed Adil became the first-ever holder of the post. The post was the idea of – and is chosen by – members of the Oldham Youth Council.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/8/news-headlines/24687/mohammed-sworn-in-as-first-youth-mayor|title=Mohammed sworn in as first youth mayor|website=www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk}}

{{Unreferenced section|date = August 2024}}

The council can confer the title of Honorary Alderman of the Borough on persons who have, in the opinion of the council, rendered "eminent services" to it as a past member. Recipients to date are Ralph Semple, Ellen Brierley, Jack Armitage, George Edmond Lord, Sidney GW Jacobs, David Roger Jones, Christine Wheeler and Richard David Knowles.

The Freedom of the Borough is the highest honour the council can bestow. It is awarded rarely and dates back to the Middle Ages when freemen had commercial privileges and route into a position of power in a town or city. Associated with this is a ‘freedom of entry’ which the council can award to service units that have "rendered conspicuous service" and are closely associated with the borough. Freedom of entry grants the service unit the right, privilege and honour of marching through the streets of Oldham on ceremonial occasions with swords drawn, bayonets fixed, drums beating, bands playing and colours flying.

Recipients to date are: Dame Sarah Anne Lees, Dr Thomas Fawsitt, William Schofield, Charles Ward, Marjory Lees, Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, JR Clynes, William E Freeman, James Bannon, Frank Tweedale, Thomas Driver, John Fletcher Waterhouse, the 41st (Oldham) Royal Tank Regiment TA, Sir William Turner Walton, Alice Amelia Kenyon, Charles Leslie Hale, Sir Frank lord, Dame Eva Turner, Arnold Tweedale, 75 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers), Ellen Brierley, Sir Norman Kelvin Stoller and Michael Hugh Meacher.

• Oldham’s ‘Bloom and Grow’ campaigns have seen it win the ‘Best City’ category four years running at the North West in Bloom competition up to 2013. It has also represented the region at the national Britain in Bloom in the same category and won the ‘Best City’ gong in 2012.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hortweek.com/oldham-wins-britain-bloom-best-city/parks-and-gardens/article/1153798|title=Oldham wins Britain in Bloom best city|website=www.hortweek.com}}
• Oldham was ‘Most Improved Council’ at the Local Government Chronicle awards in 2012.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/8/news-headlines/67815/oldham-council-is-%E2%80%98most-improved%E2%80%99|title=Oldham Council is 'most improved'|website=www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk}}
• Jean Stretton was named ‘Community Champion of the Year’ and councillors Amanda Chadderton, Sean Fielding and Arooj Shah jointly won ‘Young Councillor of the Year’ awards in 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.mancunianmatters.co.uk/content/010357343-oldham-councillor-wins-national-award-heroic-achievements-after-shaw-gas-blast|title=News article – Oldham Councillor wins national award|date=March 2013 }}
• Council Leader, Jim McMahon was named ‘Leader of the Year’ at the C’llr Achievement Awards in February 2014.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lgiu.org.uk/2014/02/25/2014-lgiu-ccla-cllr-achievement-awards-winners-announced/|title=2014 LGiU & CCLA C'llr Achievement Awards: Winners Announced!|work=LGIU: Local Government Information Unit |date=25 February 2014}}
• Oldham was ‘highly commended’ at the LGC Council of the Year awards for the top prize in 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.lgcplus.com/news/revealed-lgc-council-of-the-year-2014-winner/5068858.article|title=News article – LGC Council of the year 2014|date=13 March 2014 }}

{{See also|Greater_Manchester_Police#GMP_incidents_and_investigations}}

In June 2022, an independent review into child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester was published. It had been expanded to cover Oldham following claims that widespread child sexual exploitation had been covered up in the city. The report found there was no "widespread" abuse in the city and no evidence of a cover-up, but that some child sexual abuse victims had been failed by Greater Manchester Police and the council itself because "child protection procedures had not been properly followed".{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-61863603|title=Oldham child sex abuse victims failed by police and council, report says|date=20 June 2022|via=www.bbc.com |quote=GMP and Oldham Council failed to protect some children from grooming and sexual exploitation}}{{Cite web |date=2025-01-13 |title=Elon Musk thinks there is a hidden grooming scandal in Oldham. Why can't the police find it? |url=https://manchestermill.co.uk/elon-musk-thinks-there-is-a-hidden/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=The Mill |language=en}}

The review also found the council had done "everything possible" to warn people of the threat of child sexual exploitation, "consistently attempted" to address the problem, and were supported in these efforts by Greater Manchester Police. Among the failings reported, the review found that police had not notified the council that Shabir Ahmed, seconded to the Oldham Pakistani Centre from his role as a welfare rights officer, had previously been arrested for sexual assault of a child. Ahmed was subsequently convicted as the ringleader of a "grooming gang".{{cite news |title=Grooming gang ringleader was employed by Oldham Council as welfare officer, major report reveals |url=https://news.sky.com/story/oldham-grooming-report-finds-police-and-councils-failed-to-protect-some-children-from-sexual-exploitation-12637246 |work=Sky News |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Oldham abuse: Mayor booed as survivor addresses meeting |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-61968760 |date=28 June 2022}} The review also found a "structural flaw" in the authority's multi-agency safeguarding processes meant that some offenders were "not being apprehended earlier".{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2020-06-20 |title=The review into historic safeguarding practices in Oldham |url=https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/the-review-into-historic-safeguarding-practices-in-oldham/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=Greater Manchester Combined Authority |language=en}}

Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester (Labour and Co-operative Party) who commissioned the report, said, "It is never too late to face up to past mistakes, to say sorry to those who were failed nor to prosecute those responsible for appalling crimes against children and young people". The council and Greater Manchester Police said they were "deeply sorry" for the failings.{{cite news |last1=Hurst |first1=Pat |title=Oldham grooming gangs' victims receive apologies over authorities' failures |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/oldham-andy-burnham-greater-manchester-greater-manchester-police-pakistani-b2105115.html |date=20 June 2022}}

In October 2022, the Conservative Minister for Safeguarding, Amanda Solloway, rejected calls for a national public inquiry, saying it was for local authorities to initiate local inquiries.{{cite news |last1=Syal |first1=Rajeev |last2=Stacey |first2=Kiran |title=Ex-chief prosecutor rejects Musk's calls for new child abuse inquiry |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jan/02/ex-chief-prosecutor-rejects-musks-calls-for-new-child-abuse-inquiry |access-date=9 January 2025 |work=The Guardian |date=2 January 2025}} In October 2024, Jess Phillips, Labour's safeguarding minister, also rejected a Home Office-led inquiry but supported a local inquiry.{{Cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/starmer-musk-grooming-gangs-phillips-uk-oldham-b2675022.html |title=Why are people calling for a review of grooming gangs cover ups? |date=January 7, 2025 |work=The Independent |access-date=January 7, 2025}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/01/07/jess-phillips-elon-musk-rape-genocide-apologist-attack/|title=Jess Phillips: Musk's 'rape genocide apologist' attack turned my world upside down|first=Genevieve|last=Holl-Allen|work=The Telegraph |date=7 January 2025|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}{{cite web |title=Kemi Badenoch calls for 'long overdue' national inquiry into UK grooming scandal |url=https://news.sky.com/story/kemi-badenoch-calls-for-long-overdue-national-inquiry-into-uk-grooming-scandal-13282797 |accessdate=2025-01-07}} In 2025, Conservative opposition leader Kemi Badenoch and others called for a national public inquiry in Oldham.{{cite web |title=Badenoch accused of hypocrisy over call for national grooming gang inquiry |date=3 January 2025 |url=https://leftfootforward.org/2025/01/badenoch-criticised-of-hypocrisy-over-call-for-national-grooming-gang-inquiry/ |accessdate=2025-01-07}}{{cite web |title=Kemi Badenoch calls for national inquiry into UK's 'rape gangs scandal' |date=2 January 2025 |url=https://www.theoldhamtimes.co.uk/news/national/24828530.kemi-badenoch-calls-national-inquiry-uks-rape-gangs-scandal/ |accessdate=2025-01-07}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyvy4q82l9o|title=MPs vote against Tory call for new grooming gangs inquiry|website=www.bbc.com|date=9 January 2025 }} The chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, Professor Alexis Jay, said the government should implement the previous recommendations she had published in 2022, saying victims had "had enough of inquiries, consultations and discussions" and wanted "action" instead.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-05 |title=Nigel Farage defends Elon Musk over grooming gangs posts |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd9x3d4v7jdo |access-date=2025-01-08 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB |quote=I think that the time has passed for more inquiries. We’ve had enough of inquiries, consultations and discussions, and especially for those victims and survivors who’ve had the courage to come forward, and they clearly want action.}} Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced a government-backed Oldham inquiry, and a nationwide review of evidence, on 16 January 2025.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-21 |title=Oldham child abuse survivors say inquiry must set politics aside |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c78wjq9x90yo |access-date=2025-01-26 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=2025-01-16 |title=Yvette Cooper announces inquiries into grooming gangs |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9w5l4vxv2qo |access-date=2025-01-26 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

• Oldham local elections

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/the-review-into-historic-safeguarding-practices-in-oldham/ The review into historic safeguarding practices in Oldham (2022)]

{{Local authorities in Greater Manchester}}

{{Metropolitan districts of England}}

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