New leader announced at Annual Council

Councillor Arooj Shah was formally appointed as Leader of Oldham Council at Wednesday’s Annual Council meeting. 

Cllr Shah has recommitted to the priorities the Council set and also set out her own four additional areas of focus, these include the continuation of the successful Don’t Trash Oldham campaign, driving our current activity to boost Oldham’s economy, supporting The Oldham Coliseum to forge a new future and pledged to bring back District Community Councils. 

At the meeting, Councillor Zahid Chauhan OBE, was appointed as the new Mayor of Oldham and Eddie Moores stepped into the Deputy Mayor role. 

The Mayor, who also practices as a local GP, has promised to dedicate his entire Mayoral year to granting residents’ wishes. In light of this, the Mayor has launched www.trulywished.org 
Where residents can nominate someone they know, who they think deserves to have a wish granted. 

Meanwhile, Elaine Taylor was been appointed Statutory Deputy Leader and Shaid Mushtaq as Deputy Leader. 

Cllr Shah’s new Cabinet team, also announced at the meeting, are as follows:

•    Leader of the Council - Cllr Arooj Shah, Cabinet Member for Reform and Regeneration 
•    Cllr Abdul Jabbar, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Resources 
•    Cllr Shaid Mushtaq, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People 
•    Cllr Barbara Brownridge, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care 
•    Cllr Mohon Ali, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills 
•    Cllr Chris Goodwin, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods 
•    Cllr Elaine Taylor, Cabinet Member for Housing and Licensing 
•    Cllr Peter Dean, Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture
•    Cllr Fida Hussain, Cabinet Member for Business, Employment and Enterprise 

Find out more about Cllr Shah’s priorities 

Festival Oldham is back this June!

Oldham’s annual outdoor festival celebrating arts, culture, community, and place is back for 2023!

Join us as we showcase the best local, regional, and national street theatre, music, dance, and visual arts across various spaces in the town centre. 

Saturday 3 June, Oldham town centre, 12noon–4pm and it's a free event for all the family.

Explore this year’s theme of play, and be inspired by a programme of accessible, family-friendly entertainment and activities with something for everyone. 

Beever Children's Centre closure 

The Beever Children’s Centre in St Marys ward will be closed for two weeks from 5 June, while refurbishment work is carried out to convert the building into a Family Hub. The centre will reopen on 19 June. 
 
This means that the Beever 0 – 19 service which includes health visiting, school nursing, and services such as stay and play, baby clinic and other activities that currently run from Beever Children’s Centre will be unavailable during this closure. 
 
Family Hubs is a new initiative that will see five children’s centres in Oldham converted into welcoming and collaborative ‘one-stop shops’ as part of a £3.65m investment to improve access to health services, family support and activities. 
 
Part of this investment will be spent on creating an improved and welcoming space for families, and the brief closure of Beever Children’s Centre is vital to allow the work to be carried out.
 
We're sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you. While the building will not be accessible, home visits and contacts with health visitors in other settings will still be happening. The phone lines remain open and you can still access lots of resources on our Family Hubs website
 
 

Whit Friday returns!

Thousands of people from across the borough and beyond are set to enjoy a spectacular day of free entertainment om Friday 2 June as the famous Whit Friday band contests returns for another year. 

Brass band contests will run across 11 villages in Saddleworth from around 4pm following on from the traditional ‘Whit Walks’ in the morning. 

This traditional event dates back to an earliest-recorded contest in 1884 and is dubbed locally as ‘the greatest free show on earth’. 

Please plan your journeys when travelling around the Saddleworth area as road closures will be in place. 

For more information visit the Whit Friday webpage

West Street and Cheapside Works – creating a more Accessible Oldham 

To better improve active travel in the town centre, we are carrying out works on West Street and Cheapside – the works will last a total of 12 months. 
 
The improvements will include the construction of a new cycleway into the town centre, updated footways and sustainability features including rain gardens and tree planting. 
 
As part of the works, we will also be improving the crossing point for pedestrians and cyclists into the town centre. 
 
The scheme has been possible due to funding from the Mayor’s Walking and Cycling Challenge Fund. 
 
Bus routes will be affected during the third phase of the works, starting in around six months’ time – the changes will be communicated with all residents in partnership with Transport for Greater Manchester. 
 
Find out more about the work taking place across the town centre on our news page
 

Parliament Square is still open for business

You may have noticed the ongoing work taking place to redevelop spindles into a new market and events space, which is part of our wider plans to create a place where more people want to live, work and visit. 

Despite the ongoing works, businesses at Parliament Square are still open for business and ready to welcome you. We just want to reassure you that the businesses located at Parliament Square are unaffected by these works and are operating as usual.

We encourage you to continue to support the businesses during this time and to visit Parliament Square for some lovely food, snacks and drinks.  

For more information about the works visit the Creating a Better Place website
 

Why not explore #TheOldhamWay this Bank Holiday weekend?

Whether you’re a veteran hiker or a novice, the Oldham Way offers something for everyone.

Those with experience and a sense of adventure can comfortably navigate all of its highs and lows in a couple of days, while families and those new to its tracks might want to explore one of the seven recommended routes. 

Take a look at some of the favourite routes and walks around Dunwood Park, Diggle and many more. 

We have included a link to the All Routes app, which has a live feed of weather updates, alternative walks and routes, plus an opportunity to engage with other walkers and photographers.

Share your pictures on social media using #TheOldhamWay 

Have a look at our webpage and get into the great outdoors.

Why you should join Oldham’s Parent and Carer Panel

You want the best start in life for your child and this means access to the best possible services and support for you and them. 

Telling us what support you need as a family and what you think about the health and support services available is the best way to have a voice and a choice in what’s available to you.

This is a fantastic opportunity to see what our centres currently offer for children and young people aged 0-19. We’ll have lots of parenting support available on the day.

Every parent or carer with a child under 2 years old who comes to the event and shares their views will be entered into a FREE prize draw to win a shopping voucher.

Werneth Park outdoor gym family fun day 

Don’t miss the launch of the new outdoor gym at Werneth Park on Tuesday 30 May, 11am – 3pm. 

The gym equipment has been installed to encourage communities to get moving more and using the space regularly. 

The team have planned a great day out with lots of activities for the family including archery, cricket, yoga, football and orienteering. 

The event is free and open to everyone.