Roy Oldham: 1934-2010

It is with great sadness that we have to report the death of Councillor Roy Oldham.

Councillor Oldham was an iconic figure in Tameside.The council leader for 30 years, he led the council through all the changes of the past 30 years.Wherever you look, Councillor Oldhams influence is evident.

Tributes to the former leader of Tameside Council have poured into Tameside Radio today from friends and colleagues.

Councillor Oldham became interested in politics in the 60s when running a junior football team that was struggling to find a pitch. An architect of Tamesides education system Councillor Oldham continued to hold youth, and their aspirations, at the heart of his politics.

Councillor Oldhams influence extended beyond Tameside.He was a leading figure in shaping Greater Manchester since the abolition of the County Council in the 1980s and chaired one of the most successful public sector pension schemes in the country.

Tameside Council issued the following press release -

After battling the illness for nearly two years 76-year-old Cllr Oldham, who holds the honour of being the longest serving council leader in the country, died in Tameside Hospital just after 9am this morning.

His 30 consecutive years as the Executive Leader of a metropolitan borough council is testimony to the drive and distinction of a man who led the borough to the pinnacle of local government. Continually named as among the highest achieving of all councils nationwide by the Audit Commission. In 2007 his inspirational leadership was recognised through the Municipal Journal Best Achieving Council, while in 2008 the Audit Commission attributed the phenomenal success of the council to Roys widely recognised visionary and inspirational leadership.

Cllr Oldham was a founder member of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities, following the dissolution of the Greater Manchester County Council in 1986 and went on to chair Manchester International Airports board, which was owned by the 10 AGMA authorities. He was also the chair the Greater Manchester Pension Fund for over 23 years, turning it into the most profitable public sector pension fund in the country valued at over 10bn pounds

The list of his achievements is endless in his tireless pursuit to improve the areas in Tameside most in need of local government support. Most recently, he was instrumental in securing over 200m pounds to build 10 new high schools within the borough. He was passionate about improving the life chances of young people and even from his hospital bed he continued to fight to secure funding for our schools.

He oversaw the first large scale voluntary transfer of council-owned homes (17,000 properties) in the country to a new social landlord, which has now delivered 250M pounds of investment and record levels of tenant satisfaction, and in 2009 introduced the Tameside Works First scheme, aimed at supporting local businesses through that years economic slump. This decade he has been personally instrumental in attracting 1bn pounds of new investment to Tameside, with 1bn pounds already committed over the next five years to improve prosperity. It is because of instances such as these that his approach to the recession has been praised by business leaders and won an LGA Local Innovation Award.

But his drive and desire to support the borough and its people didnt end there. 2009 also saw him introduce a financial incentive for local community groups, which saw them awarded grants from savings accrued through increased household recycling. He was responsible for the unique setting of the boroughs Council Tax, which guaranteed a rise of no more than 10 per cent over a three-year period, giving all residents a clear idea of how much they would be paying for that time

Cllr Oldham was awarded the CBE in the New Years Honours list in 1999 and was granted honorary Freeman of the Borough in 2005 in recognition of his eminent services to the borough of Tameside.

As well as being dedicated to improving life for the residents of Tameside, he was passionate about improving life chances of people who were suffering through illness or war, as can be seen his support of Macmillan nurses, the eradication of malaria in Kenya and the support he gave to refugees during the Kosovo conflict.

Executive Council Leader Cllr Kieran Quinn said: - On behalf of the Labour group in Tameside and all the members I would just like to say that our thoughts are with his family at this time.

It was not by luck or chance that he successfully led the local Labour group and Tameside Council for such a long time. It was simply down to his drive, dedication and determination that the council and the borough would be the very best they could under his leadership.

I am sure everyone will agree that he not only succeeded in this regard but excelled to the point that we are now among the best run local authorities in the country. I was proud to have had the privilege to have worked with him as part of his leadership team and succeeding him feels like following in the footsteps of a giant.

Tameside Council Chief Executive Steven Pleasant added:- On behalf of Tameside Council I would just like to offer my sincere condolences to John, his son, and the rest of Roys family.

Roy was not only one of the main reasons we reached the pinnacle of local government, he was also one of the driving forces which ensured we stayed there. I have known Roy for 20 years. He was a truly inspirational man, who made such an enormous contribution to this council and borough. He cared passionately about Tameside and its people and if you want to see his memorial, all you have to do is look around you.

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