METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF OLDHAM

'Metropolitan Borough of Oldham'

EnglandOldham.png ''Shown within England''
Geography
Status	Metropolitan Borough
Metropolitan county	Greater Manchester
Ceremonial county	Greater Manchester
Historic county	Lancashire (Some parts from Yorkshire)
Region	North West England
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
'Area' - Total	Ranked 213th 142.36 km²
Admin HQ	Oldham(Civic Centre)
	GB-OLD
ONS code	00BP
OS grid reference
Coordinates	53°32N 2°07W
NUTS 3	UKD32
Demographics
'Population': Total () Density	Ranked / km²
Ethnicity (2001 census)	86.1% White 11.9% S.Asian
Politics
Arms of the Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council http://www.oldham.gov.uk/
Leadership	Leader & Cabinet
Control

The 'Metropolitan Borough of Oldham' is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest town, Oldham, but covers a far larger area totalling ,^[1] which includes the towns of Chadderton, Failsworth, Royton, and Shaw and Crompton. The borough also includes the village of Lees and the parish of Saddleworth.
The borough was formed as part of the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972 and is an amalgamation of seven former local government districts, which today, form the basis for the local authority's civic logo, which has seven distinct squares.
The borough, which lies directly to the northeast of the City of Manchester, has a population of 217,393, and although some parts are highly industrialised and densly populated, contiguous with one of England's major cities, around two thirds of the borough consists of rural open space, for the most part due the terrotory in the western half stretching across the Pennine hills.

Contents

Creation

Neighbouring districts

Parliamentary representation

Local administration

Parishes

Unparished areas

Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council

Coat of arms

Demographics

Politics

Education

Primary schools

Secondary

Special Needs Schools

Further and Higher education

Listed buildings

Transport

Twin Towns

References

External links

Creation

The borough was formed on April 1, 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 as one of the ten metropolitan districts of Greater Manchester. It was created by the merger of the County Borough of Oldham (from which it inherited its borough status along with the Chadderton Urban District, Crompton Urban District, Failsworth Urban District and Lees Urban District from the administrative county of Lancashire and the Saddleworth Urban District from the administrative county of the West Riding of Yorkshire. Prior to the implementation of the Act in 1974, it was proposed that the area be named the "Metropolitan Borough of Newham", or the "Metropolitan Borough of Milltown". These names raised strong objections from local communities.
It was proposed in a government White paper that the metropolitan borough include the town of Middleton. However this was ultimately given to the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale once it was decided that Rochdale and Bury would not be merged.^[2]

Neighbouring districts

The Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale lies to the west, the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees (of West Yorkshire) to the east, and the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside to the south. The City of Manchester lies directly to the south west and the Derbyshire Borough of High Peak lies directly to the south east.

Parliamentary representation

The boundaries of three parliamentary constituencies cover the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham. These are:

★ 'Oldham East and Saddleworth' represented by Phil Woolas MP (which also covers parts of Milnrow in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale)

★ 'Oldham West and Royton' represented by Michael Meacher MP.

★ 'Ashton-under-Lyne' represented by David Heyes MP (which predominantly covers the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, but also Failsworth of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham).

Local administration

The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham is locally administrated by the appropriately named Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, and was formed in 1974 by the conjoining of the following seven areas:

Parishes

Showing status at March 31, 1974, (prior to the Local Government Act 1972 taking effect).
# Saddleworth (Saddleworth Urban District)
# Shaw and Crompton (Crompton Urban District)

Unparished areas

Showing former status.
# Chadderton (Chadderton Urban District)
# Failsworth (Failsworth Urban District)
# Lees (Lees Urban District)
# Oldham (County Borough of Oldham)
# Royton (Royton Urban District)

Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council

The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham is divided into twenty electoral wards, each which elects three councillors who generally sit for a four year term on the Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council. These democratically elected councillors together form the Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, a body with direct local administrative responsibilities. equivalent to that of a Unitary Authority council. The twenty wards are:

★ Alexandra

★ Chadderton Central

★ Chadderton North

★ Chadderton South

★ Coldhurst

★ Crompton

★ Failsworth East

★ Failsworth West

★ Hollinwood

★ Medlock Vale

★ Royton North

★ Royton South

★ Saddleworth North

★ Saddleworth South

★ Saddleworth West & Lees

★ St James

★ St Marys

★ Shaw

★ Waterhead

★ Werneth
''See maps illustrating warding of Oldham''

Coat of arms

The Coat of arms (seen in infobox) is based closely upon the historic family crest of Hugh Oldham, Bishop of Exeter and founder of the Manchester Grammar School. They feature an owl holding a scroll bearing the letters "Dom", making a name-pun "Owl-Dom" typical of the medieval period. The pun reflects the original pronunciation of the name, and is still reflected in the local pronunciation of "Ow'dom".
The pun is repeated in the town's Latin mottos: the older one reads "Haud (pronounced "owd") Facile Captu" (meaning "Not easily caught"), and the current motto ''Sapere Aude'' (meaning "Dare to be wise" — the "Aude" also being pronounced "Owd").

Demographics

The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham is the fifth most populous borough of Greater Manchester, and the borough with the highest proportion of people under fifteen years of age. BOROUGH PROFILE: Oldham
Almost 12% of people in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham are of South Asian heritage, the highest proportion of a borough of Greater Manchester, and, after Blackburn with Darwen, the second largest in the United Kingdom.
The following table outlines the total population of the borough since 1801.

Year	1801	1821	1851	1871	1901	1921	1951	1961	1971	1981	1991	2001
Population	41,472	59,615	77,350	158,244	244,138	250,794	223,982	224,005	224,071	219,462	219,613	217,393
''Source: Vision of Britain

Politics

Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council has been been criticized in recent years by the independent Audit Commission.<. In 2005, it was categorized as "weak" but "improving well" by the Audit Commission.^[3] It was awarded only two stars, placing it within the bottom third of councils in the country according to perceived performance.^[4]
According to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council currently sets the highest council tax rates in Greater Manchester. It has the second highest council tax rates of the metropolitan areas, and is currently placed as the 16th highest rate of council tax in England.^[5]
In response to these findings, on the 30th March 2006, the Oldham Labour Group of Councillors took out a full page advertisement in the ''Oldham Advertiser''. Among the claims of the advertisement were that they were providing the borough with a "star studded service" despite the fact they were awarded the second worst achievable rating by the commission. Furthermore, they claimed the social services were also "star rated" despite being classified as "weak". Council Leader David Jones was said to be pleased with the Commission's findings and is quoted as saying "It is just the beginning, but it shows we are on the way to being an excellent Council". However, one of the points of the advert was to contrast the position when the Liberal Democrats had control of the Council in 2002. Then the Audit Commission reported the council was "very weak" and in 2002 the Liberal Democrats raised Oldham's council tax by 12.3%.
In 2007 it was recorded to be the second worst perfoming local authority in England for providing customer satisfaction.^[6] Compared across Greater Manchester, the borough council was last for overall satisfaction and cleanliness, second worst for complaints, and third from last for recycling and waste collection.

Education

:''For schools within the main settlement, see Oldham.''
There are around 161 schools in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham. Including:

Primary schools

School	Location	Results	Website
Alexandra Park School	Oldham		www.alexandrapark.oldham.sch.uk
Alt Primary School	Oldham		www.alt.oldham.sch.uk
Bare Trees Infant and Nursery School	Chadderton		www.baretrees-inf.oldham.sch.uk
Bare Trees Junior School	Chadderton		www.baretrees-jun.oldham.sch.uk
Beal Vale Primary School	Shaw and Crompton	Ofstead	www.beal-vale.oldham.sch.uk
Beever Primary School	Oldham		www.beever.oldham.sch.uk
Blackshaw Lane Primary School	Royton
Broadfield Primary School	Oldham
Buckstones Primary School	Shaw and Crompton	Ofstead
Burnley Brow Primary School	Chadderton
Byron Street Infant School	Royton
Chadderton Hall Junior School	Chadderton		www.school2000.org
Christ Church C of E Junior School	Chadderton		www.christchurchchadd.ik.org/
Christ Church Primary School	Denshaw, Saddleworth
Clarksfield Primary School	Oldham
Coppice Infant and Nursery School	Coppice, Oldham		www.coppice-inf.oldham.sch.uk
Coppice Junior School	Oldham		www.coppice-jnr.oldham.sch.uk
Corpus Christi R.C. School	Chadderton
Crompton Primary School	Shaw and Crompton	Ofstead	www.crompton.oldham.sch.uk
Delph Primary School	Delph, Saddleworth		www.delph.oldham.sch.uk
Diggle School	Diggle, Saddleworth		www.diggle.oldham.sch.uk
East Crompton St George's C of E School	Shaw and Crompton	Ofstead	www.stgeorgesprimarysch.ik.org
St James CofE School	Shaw and Crompton	Ofstead	www.st-james.oldham.sch.uk
Firbank Primary School	Royton		www.firbank.oldham.sch.uk
Freehold Primary School	Oldham
Friezland Primary School	Friezland, Saddleworth		www.friezland.oldham.sch.uk
Glodwick Infant School	Glodwick, Oldham		www.glodwick.oldham.sch.uk
Greenacres Primary School	Greenacres, Oldham		www.greenacres.oldham.sch.uk
Greenfield Primary School	Greenfield, Saddleworth		www.greenfield.oldham.sch.uk
Greenfield St Mary's C of E School	Greenfield, Saddleworth
Greenhill Community School	Oldham		www.greenhill.oldham.sch.uk
Hey with Zion Primary School	Oldham		Pending
Highbarn Junior School	Oldham		Pending
Higher Failsworth Primary School	Failsworth
Hodge Clough Infant School	Moorside, Oldham		www.hodgeclough-inf.oldham.sch.uk/
Hodge Clough Junior School	Moorside, Oldham		www.hodgecloughjuniors.ik.org
Holy Family RC School	Limeside, Oldham
Holy Rosary RC School	Fitton Hill, Oldham		www.holyrosary.oldham.sch.uk
Holy Trinity C of E	Dobcross, Saddleworth
Horton Mill Primary School	Oldham		hortonmill.oldham.sch.uk
Knowsley Primary School	Springhead. Saddleworth
Limehurst Primary School	Limeside, Oldham		www.limehurst.oldham.sch.uk
Limeside Primary School	Limeside, Oldham		www.limeside.oldham.sch.uk
Littlemoor Primary School	Oldham		www.littlemoor.oldham.sch.uk
Lyndhurst Primary School	Hollins
Mather Street Primary School	Failsworth		www.matherstreet.oldham.sch.uk
Mayfield Primary School	Oldham		www.mayfield.oldham.sch.uk
Medlock Valley Primary School	Fitton Hill, Oldham		www.medlockvalley.oldham.sch.uk
Mills Hill Primary School			www.millshill.oldham.sch.uk
Our Lady's RC Primary School	Moorside, Oldham		www.ourladys-pri.oldham.sch.uk
Parish Church C of E Junior School	Oldham
Propps Hall Primary School	Failsworth
Richmond Primary School	Oldham
Roundthorn Primary School	Oldham		www.roundthorn.oldham.sch.uk
Rushcroft Primary School	Shaw and Crompton	Ofstead	www.rushcroft.oldham.sch.uk
Sacred Heart RC School	Oldham		www.sacredheart.oldham.sch.uk
South Failsworth Primary School	Failsworth		www.southfailsworth.oldham.sch.uk
Springhead Infant and Nursery School	Springhead, Saddleworth		www.springhead.oldham.sch.uk
SS Aidan & Oswald RC Primary School	Royton		www.ssaidanoswald.oldham.sch.uk
St Agnes C of E Primary School	Lees, Oldham		www.stagnes.oldham.sch.uk
St Anne's C of E School	Grasscroft, Saddleworth
St Anne's C of E Primary Broadway	Royton
St Anne's RC Primary School	Greenacres, Oldham
St Chad's C of E Primary School	Uppermill, Saddleworth		schoolsite.edex.net.uk/1009
St Edward's RC Primary School	Lees, Oldham		www.st-edwards.oldham.sch.uk
St Herbert's RC Primary School	Chadderton
St Hilda's C of E Primary School	Oldham		www.sthildas.oldham.sch.uk
St Hugh's C of E Primary School	Holts Estate, Oldham
St John's C of E Infant School	Failsworth		www.st-johns-inf.oldham.sch.uk
St John's C of E Junior School	Failsworth		www.stjohns.oldham.sch.uk
St Joseph's R.C. Primary	Shaw and Crompton	Ofstead	www.st-josephs.oldham.sch.uk
St Luke's C of E Primary School	Chadderton
St Margaret's C of E Primary School	Hollinwood, Oldham		www.stmargarets.oldham.sch.uk
St Martin's C of E Primary School	Oldham
St Mary's CofE Primary School	Shaw and Crompton	Ofstead	-
St Mary's RC Primary School	Failsworth		www.st-marys.oldham.sch.uk
St Matthew's CE Infant School	Chadderton		www.st-matthews.oldham.sch.uk
St Patrick's RC Primary School	Oldham		www.st-patricks.oldham.sch.uk
St Paul's C of E Primary School	Royton		www.stpauls.oldham.sch.uk
St Stephen's & All Martyrs Infant School	Oldham
St Thomas C of E Primary School	Moorside, Oldham		www.st-thomas-moorside.oldham.sch.uk
St Thomas C of E Primary Leesfield	Lees, Oldham		www.leesfield.oldham.sch.uk/
St Thomas C of E Primary School	Werneth, Oldham
Stanley Road Primary School	Chadderton
Stoneleigh Primary School	Derker, Oldham		www.stoneleigh.oldham.sch.uk
Thornham St James' C of E School	Thornham, Royton
Thorp Primary School	Royton		www.thorp.oldham.sch.uk
Watersheddings Primary School	Oldham		www.watersheddings.oldham.sch.uk
Werneth Infant and Nursery School	Werneth, Oldham		www.werneth-infant.oldham.sch.uk
Werneth Junior School	Werneth, Oldham		www.werneth-jnr.oldham.sch.uk
Westwood Primary School	Chadderton		www.westwood.oldham.sch.uk
Whitegate End Primary School	Chadderton		www.whitegateend.oldham.sch.uk
Woodhouse Voluntary Primary School
Yew Tree School	Chadderton		www.yewtree.oldham.sch.uk

Secondary

School	Location	Results	Website
Blue Coat School	Oldham		www.blue-coat.oldham.sch.uk
Breeze Hill School	Oldham		www.breezehill.oldham.sch.uk
Counthill School	Oldham		www.counthill-school.info
Crompton House	High Crompton, Shaw and Crompton		www.crompton-house.oldham.sch.uk
Failsworth School	Failsworth		www.failsworth.oldham.sch.uk
Grange School	Oldham		www.grange.oldham.sch.uk
Hulme Grammar School	Oldham		www.hulme-grammar.oldham.sch.uk
Kaskenmoor School	Hollinwood, Oldham		www.kaskenmoor.org.uk
North Chadderton School	Chadderton		www.webschool.org.uk
Our Lady's R.C. High School	Royton		www.ourladyshigh.oldham.sch.uk
Royton and Crompton School	Royton		www.roytoncrompton.oldham.sch.uk
Saddleworth School	Uppermill, Saddleworth		www.saddleworth.oldham.sch.uk
South Chadderton School	Chadderton		www.southchadderton.oldham.sch.uk
St Augustine of Canterbury R.C. High School	Werneth, Oldham		www.staugustine.oldham.sch.uk
The Hathershaw College	Hathershaw, Oldham		www.hathershaw.org.uk
The Radclyffe School	Chadderton		www.theradclyffeschool.co.uk

Special Needs Schools

★ Kingfisher Community Special School (Chadderton) [1]

★ New Bridge Learning Centre (Oldham)

★ New Bridge School (Hollinwood) [2]

★ Spring Brook (Fitton Hill)

Further and Higher education

★ Oldham Sixth Form College [3]

★ The Oldham College [4]

★ University Centre Oldham (Part of the University of Huddersfield) [5]

Listed buildings

There are over seven-hundred Listed Buildings in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, and thirty-six Conservation Areas.^[7]
The Listed Buildings range from former weaver's cottages in Saddleworth to some of the large former cotton mills in the West of the borough through to fine civic buildings such as the Old Town Hall in Oldham town centre.

Transport

There are three railway lines that serve places in the Oldham borough; one is the main line service running between Huddersfield and Manchester, with Greenfield railway station the only station served by this line in the borough.
The other two lines form the Manchester to Rochdale via Oldham Line service. One line is the main line service running between Bradford and Manchester via Halifax and Rochdale, with Mills Hill railway station the only station in Oldham served. The other line is the Rochdale/Shaw to Manchester Victoria services via Oldham Mumps. The express route serves Shaw and Crompton railway station and Oldham Mumps railway station, while the slower service serves Shaw and Crompton, Derker, Oldham Mumps, Oldham Werneth, Hollinwood and Failsworth stations.
There are many bus services running in the Oldham borough. The main bus operator is First Manchester, whose HQ is based in Oldham at Wallshaw Street, which is located at Oldham Mumps Bridge.

Twin Towns

The Borough of Oldham has formal twinning arrangements with three European towns:^[8]

★ Geesthacht in Germany ''(twinned with Chadderton Urban District since 1966)''

★ Kranj in Slovenia ''(twinned with the County Borough of Oldham since 1961)''

★ Landsberg am Lech in Germany ''(twinned originally with Failsworth Urban District since 1974)''

References

1. Oldham Division
2. ''Philosophy on councils has yet to emerge''. The Times. July 8, 1972
3. 2004 Annual Audit and Inspection Letter
4. Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) scorecard 2006
5. 2006-07 Council taxes
6. Maybe change is needed
7. The Historic Environment - Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas in Oldham
8. Tourist Information in Oldham

External links

★ Oldham Website operated by the local council.

★ Oldham, the profile of the borough based upon the 2001 United Kingdom Census.