At a Group meeting held on 7 May, the Oldham Borough Liberal Democrat Group elected councillor Howard Sykes MBE as their Leader and councillor Chris Gloster as their Deputy Leader. 

Councillor Howard Sykes said: “I am grateful once more to my colleagues for their support for my work as Group Leader and delighted that Chris will continue to serve as my Deputy. 

It was great to welcome newly elected councillor Alicia Marland from Saddleworth West and Lees to the team, and to welcome Dave Murphy and Hazel Gloster back for Crompton and Shaw Wards.  After Friday’s results, the Liberal Democrats are up one to nine councillors and I know that all of us will continue to make a difference.”

“Liberal Democrats will be the only real opposition party holding Labour to account on Oldham Council.  We will work as a united team to offer common-sense solutions to the Borough’s problems and challenge the Labour Administration to cut waste and focus spending on the value-for-money services that the public wants,” added councillor Sykes.

“Labour is now at a crossroads.  With just 21 of the 60 seats up for election they lost six seats and gained one so a net loss of five, including their Leader; several more had some close calls.  Labour now must elect a new incumbent and it will be interesting to see who emerges as the winner from the contest.  I sincerely hope that that person understands that the Labour needs to make a major course correction to focus on what really matters.”

Councillor Sykes set out the Liberal Democrats’ priorities for Oldham Council:

“Labour really do need to wake up and smell the coffee.  They need to get the basics right – they need to make our Borough safer, cleaner, and greener.  They need to invest in our districts and work with the communities we represent rather than keep doing things to them and making them feel neglected.”

“These are the issues the public tell us are important and we will continue to champion them at every opportunity,” he added.