Neil Wilby Media

In January, 2023, journalist Neil Wilby, the author of its article made this reply post on Twitter (or ‘X’ if one prefers) in answer to this question: ‘Which Labour run city is the worst?’

“Oldham Council: Not a city, but a large Borough, its civic chamber can boast a convicted fraudster, convicted people trafficker/tax dodger, convicted benefits cheat, plus a hotch-potch minority of more trivial law-breakers, self-servers, hypocrites, sycophants, liars, chancers and conspiracy theorists.”

Against that backdrop, and regular adverse commentary in the regional and national media, Oldham Council’s senior, and mostly over-promoted, paid officers become tetchy when their local authority is dubbed a ‘bandit council’ or mention is made of the ‘lifers’, plodders, pension pot obsessives and gormless apparatchiks inexplicably elevated to positions way beyond their ability and, mostly, hooked on ‘agile working’ whilst safely ensconced well outside the Oldham town boundaries.

In the succeeding sixteen months or so, an anti-LGBT campaigner, a porn pervert and a Nazi obsessive have swelled the ranks of miscreant councillors (read more here, here and here) and a now departed elected Member of Oldham Council remains on police bail over a rape allegation, as far as the press and public have been made aware (Greater Manchester Police press office has said previously that any change in custody status would be notified).

The Council Leader, Cllr Arooj Shah, a repeated and epic fail as the Region’s Equality Lead with gaffe after diversity and inclusion gaffe over the past year (read more here), labelling key political opponents, The Oldham Group, whom obliterated the Labour Party candidates in key wards, including her own, St Mary’s, as ‘extremists’.

But, just over two weeks later, cuts a deal with the aforementioned Nazi obsessive, Cllr Marc Hince, whom, even before being outed as a racist in a series of video clips made public late last month (May 2024) was the most hated councillor in the Borough after a series of deplorable public performances and a generally belligerent, unpleasant approach elsewhere (read more here). 

Cllr Shah, in line with the Council’s media strategy (read it here), devised by her assistant chief executive, Shelley Kipling, and the now departed Head of Communications, Jeni Harvey, has remained completely silent on the Labour-Nazi Alliance that kept her in power.

The making of the sordid deal with Cllr Hince, previously known as ‘The Secret Squirrel‘, amongst other less flattering soubriquets, both in Shaw, where he also sits as a town councillor, and widely on social media, has become the subject of considerable controversy as it was recorded in part, at least, by Liberal Democrat councillor, Mark Kenyon.

The covertly recorded meeting at which the Labour-Nazi alliance was formed, so that Cllr Shah could retain her position as Council Leader and form a minority administration, took place on Monday 20th May, 2024. Two days ahead of the Annual Meeting at which such decisions are voted upon. In the event she succeeded with 28 councillors voting for, 29 against and three abstaining from electing a new Leader.

The vote of Cllr Hince, and his Shaw and Crompton Independent colleague, Cllr Lisa Navesey was, of course, absolutely crucial in defeating that motion.

Cllr Hince had, shortly before the formation of the Labour-Nazi alliance, made a public statement on his Shaw and Crompton Facebook account that he would not be voting with Labour. Not least, as he was voted onto Oldham Council in 2023 on a strongly anti-Labour platform.

He also repeatedly told other opposition party leaders, including Cllr Howard Sykes (Liberal Democrat) and Cllr Kamran Ghafoor (The Oldham Group) that he would be forming an alliance with them. Cllr Lewis Quigg, who fronted the negotiations for the local Conservatives was told the same.

With the remaining independent councillors committed to a ‘rainbow alliance’, Cllr Shah’s days as Councillor Leader were effectively over. She now has only 26 other councillors (out of 60) to call upon following another disastrous day at the polls in last month’s local elections.

The ‘thirty pieces of silver’ for Cllr Hince’s backing Cllr Shah is the Chair of the Planning Committee and a seat on the Labour front bench in the council chamber. He has also committed to oppose any ‘no confidence in the Council Leader motion’ that may be set down. He is also committed to vote for the Labour 2025/26 budget next February, irrespective of how it is formulated.

The covert recording of the subject meeting is said to have been captured on CCTV in the corridor outside the Leader’s office. Cllr Kenyon was nearby when he saw Cllrs Shah, Hince and Navesey enter her office along with chief executive, Harry Catherall, and a member of the public, Lee Navesey. 

In her familiar role of permanent victimhood, Cllr Shah has propagated tales of ‘spyware’ and ‘espionage’ – and attempted to deflect away Harry Catherall’s presence and what was said and offered in that meeting.

Those matters are now the subject of at least one Standards investigation and that is likely, on past evidence and under the auspices of the lazy, inefficient and ineffective Monitoring Officer, Paul Entwistle (read more here), to take upwards of eighteen months.

Following intervention by the Liberal Democrats national office, Mark Kenyon’s nomination as their Parliamentary candidate in Pendle was removed.

Cllr Hince has also claimed in an unattractive, gloating social media post that Cllr Kenyon has been suspended by the Liberal Democrats, a situation not confirmed by any official source. He remains listed on the Oldham Council website as a member of his Party.

If suspended it would lead to a change in Opposition arrangements on the Council with three Groups all having eight seats each (LibDems, Conservatives and The Oldham Group). 

Four other Liberal Democrat councillors are under investigation over the covert recording, including the Oldham Group Leader, Cllr Howard Sykes. 

A spokesperson for Oldham Council said shortly after the incident: “Audio footage understood to be from a meeting held by the Leader of the Council with council officers and other politicians was shared widely on social media overnight (Monday 20th and Tuesday 21st May).

“The Council is now undertaking a full investigation into the circumstances of this recording, including reviewing CCTV footage. This will consider any legal implications.”

Mark Hince says he had been subject to online abuse and death threats to his family since the audio was leaked online. Although evidence of the latter is yet to emerge, he is mocked as ‘Judas’ amongst a wide-ranging flow of opprobrium.

He adds: “Every leader of every group in that chamber reserves a right to have discussions with other groups and other leaders without fear of reprisal.

“I’m absolutely astounded an elected member of the chamber could by this selfish action put me and my family at risk. People have been putting my home address on Facebook pages, calling me a piece of sh*t, saying I’ll get what’s coming to me…”

Cllr Hince’s home address is freely available on the internet, including on the Oldham Council, Shaw and Crompton Town Council and Companies House websites. He (and his wife) also has history of abusive posts on social media and a part in a grotesque smear campaign against his political opponents that saw him elected in 2023.

A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: “We respect the council’s investigation into this and will comment further once that is concluded.”

The text of an on-line petition to remove Harry Catherall from his position as chief executive following the incident suggests that Mark Kenyon will run a whistleblower and public interest defence to the allegations (read more here).

There are also said to be data protection and privacy issues in play concerning the CCTV recordings upon which the Oldham Labour Group rely to back up their complaints. One of which was to the Liberal Democrat national office calling for the resignation of Cllrs Kenyon and Sykes.

Allegations of ‘spyware’ and ‘espionage’ will be robustly opposed.

The next Full Council meeting in Oldham is on 10th July, 2024. It is very likely to be another highly controversial renewal.

Follow Neil Wilby on Twitter (here) and Neil Wilby Media on Facebook (here) for signposts to any updates.

Page last updated: Tuesday 11th June, 2024 at 0905 hours

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The latter councillor, known to be a former Conservative Party member, denies the allegation and his supporters claim he was ‘fitted up’ by political opponents (read more here).