Roger Blackmore

Although the Conservative Government is continuing to reduce funding for essential local services, I believe that Councils should be run efficiently and get best value-for-money for Council Taxpayers

Listening to issues people raise on the doorstep makes me determined to help improve their lives. However, Liberal Democrat proposals to invest more in the Youth Service, street repairs and looking after our green spaces were voted down by Labour, the same councillors who reduced Oldham’s environmental team by 30.

The shortage of genuinely affordable housing keeps being raised by people I meet. We must expand social housing rapidly to meet well-documented local needs in Hollinwood and across the Borough.

I welcome the new arrangements which have given Oldham Council the task of jointly overseeing and helping to improve the performance of the Northern Care Alliance which is responsible for hospitals and community services. This is another achievement of local Liberal Democrats.