Date: 19th July 2011
MEDIA RELEASE
Sykes accuses Labour of “incredible incompetence that will cost Oldham and Rochdale tens of millions pounds”
That was the first reaction of Councillor Howard Sykes; Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition on Oldham Council, on being told the proposed joint working arrangement between Oldham and Rochdale Council is off.
Councillor Sykes said: “Labour, after only a few months in charge of both Oldham and Rochdale Councils, have failed to do a deal that could have protected front line services while making a significant contribution to the savings both Councils need to make over the next 2-3 years (up to £50 million).”
“I can’t believe that in such a short space of time Labour could have contrived to make such a monumental cock up. The last Lib Dem administration left a good working relationship between Oldham and Rochdale which could have delivered up to half the total savings both Councils need to find over the next three years.”
Councillor Sykes added: “This was the most obvious and beneficial way to find a huge chunk of the massive savings both Councils needed to make, savings which would have been achieved by sharing management, sharing human resources, reducing duplication, economies of scale etc. The whole package, taken together, would have taken massive pressure off frontline services and jobs. It was a no brainer and makes you wonder why we did not do it years ago!”
“The people who will pay the price are the staff and the hard working citizens of Oldham and Rochdale,” claimed Councillor Sykes. “Talk of loss of local democratic control by either council is a smoke screen to hide Labour’s failure.”
He concluded: “As a result of this incompetence, after only two months in power, Labour are taking us back to the dark days – hundreds and hundreds of additional Oldham Council staff have been condemned to redundancy and a huge strain placed on frontline services to cut costs.”
“It is not an exaggeration to say that this is a very bad day for Oldham Council, its staff and the citizens of this borough”
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