Local elections 2023: Oldham faces election uncertainty

Boundary changes mean 4 May will see elections take place in every ward on Oldham Council

There's been a toxic feel to politics in Oldham over recent years.

At the last two local elections, the last two council leaders have been removed by the public, and there have been angry protests at public meetings and personal social media campaigns targeting those leaders and the person who stepped up next.

Much of the anger has surrounded claims of a cover-up of historic child sexual exploitation which have been incredibly damaging for the town and the ruling Labour party.

A high profile review found that while there had not been a cover-up, some young girls had been failed by the council and police.

It appears the publicity around it has had an impact at the ballot box.

Ms Chadderton says the town "feels calmer" and "the toxicity is a lot less"

Last year, Labour lost five seats, following the loss of six the year before.

Now an all-out election, brought on by boundary changes, means every seat is being contested.

Amanda Chadderton, the latest Labour leader of the council, has apologised for the failures of the past and, after a year in the post, is hoping 4 May can present a fresh start.

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"I'm not gonna lie, initially it was difficult," she says.

"We had the CSE [child sexual exploitation] report that came out, but actually the space we've got to is so much better.

"The town feels calmer, the toxicity is a lot less and some of it is about getting back to basics.

"It's about door knocking, about listening to what people are telling you, but actually, it's about not over-promising and under-delivering - if you say you're going to do something, then that needs to be done."

Mr Hobin says his group "raise the bar up at Oldham Council and raise the questioning"

Leading the insurgency against the established parties has been the Failsworth Independents.

They took out the first leader in 2021 and grew their numbers last year with their hyperlocal approach.

At the pub he runs, leader Brian Hobin explained why he thinks they've had an impact.

"We've definitely tapped into a desire for change," he says.

"We've highlighted things that were swept aside before or people weren't made aware of and I think us being the noisy neighbours going up to council and arguing points and putting things across has raised the visibility of everything else that was going on at the council.

"So I think what we've done in Failsworth as independents is raise the bar up at Oldham Council and raise the questioning."

Mr Sykes says the "toxic situation... puts people off standing, it puts people off voting"

The Liberal Democrats were last in power in Oldham over a decade ago and still form the main opposition.

Their leader Howard Sykes is keen to see the back of an unsettling few years.

"It's all the play for because it is all out," he says.

"The first time in a generation we've got a chance of ending Labour rule in Oldham.

"That toxic situation - I don't think helps anybody.

"It puts people off standing, it puts people off voting, so I don't think that does Oldham politics any good but I don't see anything the current administration is doing to try and tackle that.

"Some of this is about listening and then changing what you do and they come across as very arrogant and not changing."

Mr Sheldon says there is "a lack of enthusiasm at the council"

The Conservatives have had some success at recent local elections and they're keen to focus on Oldham's challenges, rather than the national picture.

Leader Graham Sheldon thinks it should be doing better.

"People are so disappointed with the last 12 years of this Labour council and it trickles through," he says.

"We're struggling to get businesses to invest in the town, we're struggling to get GPs in the area, and it's all because of a lack of enthusiasm at the council."

All-out elections bring an extra level of jeopardy and can throw up some unexpected results.

After the instability of recent years, Oldham's ruling Labour party is hoping for period of calm but their opponents have other ideas.