Q1 Leaders Question – Illegal Dumping in Maple Mill

Mr Mayor, my first question tonight to the Leader relates to the recent fire at the Maple Mill in Hathershaw.

My understanding is that the firefighters on attending the fire, found that the building was a huge repository for the illegal dumping of waste and that the combustible nature of these materials contributed to the longevity and severity of the blaze?

Not only did this situation further jeopardise the lives of firefighters and other emergency service workers, as well as some of our own officers and staff from First Choice Homes Oldham, all courageously attending the incident, but there was the potential of toxic air pollution impacting on the lives and health of residents in the surrounding area.

My understanding is that the dumping of rubbish in Maple Mill was not a one-off and that there are reports of similar activity at many of the redundant industrial premises and old mills in our Borough.

Can the Leader please tell me what she knows about the extent of this problem and what is being done by our officers and those of other public agencies to stop it?

And would she like to tell Council how members of the public – as our eyes and ears in our communities – can help this effort?

And can she also give me any estimate as to the potential cost to this local authority, or to the emergency services, from clear-up operations and attending to further incidents of this nature involving this blight?

I would have thought the bill could run into hundreds of thousands of pounds if this illegal practice is a wide spread as I believe it could be.

Q2 Leaders Question – Future of the University Technical College Building

My next question, Mr Mayor, concerns the future of the Greater Manchester University Technical College building, which is on Middleton Road next to Oldham College.

Members will be aware of the recent fiasco that was the wholesale academic under-performance at this expensive white elephant.

Millions spent on a purpose built building and equipment and nothing to show for it, as not one of the initial cohort of forty six students achieved a Grade C in both English and Mathematics and the College is now scheduled for closure.

This is such a waste – such a waste of public money and such a waste of the promise and potential that these young students had – but with the College’s closure there must also be an opportunity.

For Oldham College sits right next door to this soon abandoned building and Oldham College is crying out for more new quality buildings in which to deliver tuition.

So can I tonight through you, Mr Mayor, make a plea to the Leader and to the Cabinet Member for Education that they make urgent representations to the key decision-makers in the Department for Education asking them to transfer this publically-funded asset to Oldham College?

This must be common-sense?  For at least then we will see something come out from this mess that will be of long-term benefit for the students of this Borough and a small vindication of the spending over £9 million pounds.