Budget 2025: a step in the right direction for the people of Oldham
We are once again setting our budget for the borough and whether you live, work or travel into Oldham, we want to give you the opportunity to have your say.
This rising pressure on council services includes more children needing to be supported and protected by social care services. Every year more and more vulnerable people need essential adult social care to keep them safe and well, and more people need housing to provide essential shelter.
Although we have an increase in our spending power from the new government for the year ahead, there remains an estimated £8m budget gap for 2025/2026, which will have to be met through further budget savings.
At the core of our decision making is protecting the vital services for our most vulnerable residents, and the people of Oldham remain at the heart of our decision making. That's why we’re asking you two key questions:
Where do you think the Council should save money? What areas do you think the Council should be spending money on?
Leader of Oldham Council, Cllr Arooj Shah, said: “Thankfully the new government is delivering on their commitment to fixing issues at a local level, and the new money we’ve received in the settlement is a huge step in the right direction, but the harsh reality is we must prioritise those that need us the most right now, which means making tough decisions.”
And Councillor Abdul Jabbar, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Value for Money and Sustainability said: “We welcome the government’s support for local councils like Oldham, which will help us to relieve some – but sadly not all – of the financial pressures we are facing.
“A lot of hard work has already taken place to identify some significant areas that will bridge some of the gap, and we’re encouraging everyone to get involved and have their say on how we shape our final plans.”
You can have your say by taking part in the consultation here.
The consultation period will run from today until Friday 7 February.
Councillors will then make a final decision on budget proposals at Budget Council on Thursday 6 March.
