Neil Wilby Media

A local authority, frequently described on-line as the worst (or most corrupt) in the country, and other misdemeanours regularly reported in the local, regional and national media, is facing more adverse exposure as a recurring problem that routinely besets its troubled Labour administration has surfaced once more.

Senior paid officers in Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, presently propped up by an unedifying ‘Labour-Nazi’ coalition (read more here), already have a shocking reputation for their laziness, ineptitude and opacity (read more here).

Those failings are authenticated, as opposed to allegations of ‘corruption’ which are advanced, mostly absent of evidence, by two notorious conspiracy theorists in the area, Raja Miah and Paul Errock. Both of whom run large follower Facebook entities that are a haven for local axe-grinders and political malcontents (Recusant Nine and Proud of Oldham and Saddleworth respectively).

A Civic Centre source has provided details of a recently submitted formal complaint lodged against Deputy Chief Executive (Place), Emma Barton, over her persistent failure to provide information, and arrange meetings, related to concerns about the uncertain future of a number of community centres in the Borough.

The complainant, a serving councillor, asserts that, despite repeated requests, there has been no satisfactory response from the senior officer.

Cllr Kamran Ghafoor, who is also a notably successful, straight-talking local businessman, and Party Leader of eight-strong The Oldham Group (TOG) on the Council, contends that Ms. Barton’s actions, or rather, inactions, are influenced by ‘personal issues’, and her lack of engagement is ‘unprofessional and a disservice to the community’.

He has requested, via the Council’s Monitoring Officer, Paul Entwistle, a thorough investigation and prompt action to address his Group’s concerns.

A source close to the complainant has told Neil Wilby Media that Cllr Ghafoor feels as though the Pakistani Community Centre in Glodwick, and others similar, are being used as ‘a political ploy’ by the Labour administration to garner support for future election campaigns. Also that the centres are not being given back to the community and, of significant concern, if true, ‘are more than likely being given to close friends and family’.

‘Cllr Ghafoor wants these valuable local assets to be used for the benefit of the community as a whole, and not for personal or business gain’.

Another local, who did not wish to be named says: ‘There is something fishy going on, we can smell it’.

Cllr Arooj Shah, the Council Leader, whose record in answering emails, or other forms of communication, is also highly questionable; preferring photo-shoots and playing the victim to dealing with pressing community matters, has been put forward as be the directing mind behind Emma Barton’s silence. The career politician was brought up and lives a short distance from the Pakistani Community Centre on Greengate Street.

Overarching this complex matrix, there is also deep resentment against The Oldham Group from the local Labour Party, and Cllr Shah in particular, after the ‘new kids on the block’ almost single-handedly took power from them, and her, at the last local elections.

Against heavy national trends, Oldham Labour now only holds 27 of 60 seats on the Council. In April, 2021, before Cllr Shah took over the leadership, they had 45.

A widely held view, supported at the ballot box in May 2024, is that she is ‘toxic’ in local and regional political terms and not fit to hold the top job (read more here). Other large-follower community Facebook groups in the Borough, such as Oldham Matters, Chronic Oldham, Oldham Heart and Failsworth Matters single out Cllr Shah for attention. Albeit, some of it in unnecessarily unpleasant or personalised terms.

Her performances in the council chamber go from bad to worse, including another unconstitutional and unedifying rant against one of her critics last night (10th July, 2024) after over-ruling the Mayor, Cllr Zahid Chauhan OBE, as to whether her interruption was permissible, or otherwise. For the avoidance of doubt, it wasn’t.

With Cllr Shah seemingly compromised in this matter, her de facto Deputy and principal coalition partner, Cllr Marc Hince, whom, it seems to most of the political commentariat in Oldham, has an opinion on almost every topic under the sun and presents himself as a community champion, has been asked for comment.

The essential position in Oldham Council, in common with many other public bodies in England and Wales is that senior paid officers routinely deny any, or all, wrongdoing, and ‘cover-up’ for one another, with almost zero political oversight from the Labour Group that held power for 13 years, until two months ago..

That is expected to be the position of Emma Barton – supported by Cllrs Shah and Hince. The latter having adapted quickly to becoming the former’s tamed bag carrier.

A far cry from May, 2023 when ‘Herr Hince’, as he is now widely known, was elected to the Council on what appeared, at the time, to be an immovable anti-Labour ticket. He was also a noted Facebook warrior, fiercely critical of his new puppet master.

Strange what £16,454 per annum can do to a man’s political outlook. The fee he receives for chairing the Planning Committee and being a District Lead, the quid pro quo for keeping Arooj Shah in the Leader’s office.

For her part, and equally strange as the Region’s Equality Lead, Cllr Shah is prepared to overlook her de facto Deputy’s overt racism.

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Page last updated: Friday 12th July, 2024 at 0625 hours

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