Cash strapped Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council will receive NOTHING from a £400M war chest to help Councils with funding cuts.  Trafford Council, ran by the Conservatives will receive £465,000 in ‘transitional’ funding from the Government.

This is cash aimed at helping councils cope with the transition from ‘dependence’ on the Government.

The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Cllr Howard Sykes, MBE, condemned the announcement:

“Quite clearly we have seen here a Conservative Government trying to curry favour amongst Conservative council leaders by offering them this bribe to keep quiet about spending cuts and remain on board.  Trafford Council which is one of the richest Councils in our region got almost half a million pounds; yet Oldham, a deprived Borough hammered by spending cuts and welfare reform, where there is a constant and increasing demand on Council services, has received nothing because its political hue isn’t blue.  This is simply naked cronyism!”

Liberal Democrats in Oldham are backing party colleagues in Rochdale who have submitted a Freedom of Information request to the Department of Communities and Local Government.  They are asking for an explanation of the ‘rationale’ behind the decision and if they are not satisfied with the response of Conservative Local Government Minister Greg Clarke MP will ask the Local Government Ombudsman to intervene.