Metropolitan Borough of Oldham
Encyclopedia
The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham is a metropolitan borough
of Greater Manchester
, England
. It has a population of 219,600, and spans 55 square miles (142 km²). The borough is named after its largest town, Oldham
, but also includes the outlying towns of Chadderton
, Failsworth
, Royton
and Shaw and Crompton
, the village of Lees
, and the parish of Saddleworth
. The borough was formed in 1974 as part of the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972
and is an amalgamation
of the former County Borough of Oldham
with the Chadderton
, Crompton, Lees
, Royton
urban district
s of Lancashire
and the Saddleworth Urban District of the West Riding of Yorkshire
.
Although a 20th century creation, the borough has Neolithic
, Bronze Age
and Roman
heritage. It encompasses several former mill town
s, which expanded and coalesced during the late-19th century as a result of population growth
and advances in textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution
. Although some parts contiguous with the city of Manchester
are highly industrialised and densely populated, about two-thirds of the borough is composed of rural open space; the eastern half stretches across the South Pennines
.
For its first 12 years the borough had a two-tier system of local government; Oldham Council shared power with the Greater Manchester County Council
. Since the Local Government Act 1985
Oldham Council has effectively been a unitary authority
, serving as the sole executive
, deliberative
and legislative body responsible for local policy, setting council tax
, and allocating budget in the district. The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham has two civil parishes and 20 electoral wards
.
Noted as one of the more unpopular amalgamations of territory created by local government reform in the 1970s, the Oldham borough underwent a £100,000 rebranding exercise in early 2008. The town has no listed buildings with a Grade I rating, and the borough's architecture has been described as "mediocre". There have been calls for the borough to be renamed, but that possibility was dismissed during the rebranding of 2008.
and Local Government Act 1894
, local government in England had been administered via a national framework of rural district
s, urban district
s, municipal borough
s and county borough
s, which (apart from the latter which were independent), shared power with strategic county council
s of the administrative counties
. The areas that were incorporated into the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in 1974 had formed part of Chadderton Urban District
, Crompton Urban District, Failsworth Urban District, Lees Urban District
and Royton Urban District
from the administrative county of Lancashire
, Saddleworth Urban District from the West Riding of Yorkshire
, and the politically independent County Borough of Oldham
. By the early 1970s, nationally, this system of demarcation was described as "archaic" and "grossly inadequate to keep pace both with the impact of motor travel, and with the huge increases in local government responsibilities". After the exploration of reform, such as the proposals made by the Redcliffe-Maud Report
in the late 1960s, the Local Government Act 1972
restructured local government in England by creating a system of two-tier metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties
and districts throughout the country. The act formally established the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham as a local government district of the new metropolitan county
of Greater Manchester on 1 April 1974. The district was granted honorific borough status
on 23 November 1973 by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
, which allowed the council to have a mayor. The new dual local authorities of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council and Greater Manchester County Council
had been running since elections in 1973
however. The leading article in The Times
on the day the Local Government Act came into effect noted that the "new arrangement is a compromise which seeks to reconcile familiar geography which commands a certain amount of affection and loyalty, with the scale of operations on which modern planning methods can work effectively".
The borough is noted as one of the more unpopular amalgamations of territory created by local government reform in the 1970s. This being especially true of residents of the parish of Saddleworth
who viewed the new arrangement as a "retrograde step". It had been proposed in a government White paper
that the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham include the former mill town of Middleton
. However this was given to the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale
once it was decided that Rochdale
and Bury
would not be merged. Before its creation, it was suggested that the metropolitan borough be named New Oldham, but that was rejected.
In the early 20th century, following some exchanges of land, there were attempts to amalgamate Chadderton Urban District with the County Borough of Oldham. However, this was resisted by councillors from Chadderton Urban District Council.
The Oldham borough underwent a rebranding exercise in 2008 with a view to improving cross-community unity. Officials believed the borough's image was outdated and that "often negative" national media coverage held and continues to hold back businesses and hampers attempts to attract new investors, visitors and external funding. There had been calls for the borough to be renamed to a "settlement-neutral" name (such as those of neighbouring districts of Calderdale
, Kirklees
and Tameside
) as part of the rebranding. However, consultants cited that this idea came from a "vocal minority" wishing to distance themselves from Oldham. The borough name was unchanged.
s of Greater Manchester. However in 1986, along with the five other metropolitan county
councils and the Greater London Council
, the Greater Manchester County Council was abolished, and most of its powers were devolved to the boroughs. Since 1986, Oldham Council has effectively been a unitary authority
that serves as the sole executive
, deliberative
and legislative body responsible for setting local policy, and allocating budget. Its duties also include setting levels of council tax
, monitoring the health service in the borough, providing social care, and providing funding for schools. The borough's centre of administration since 1977 has been Oldham Civic Centre.
Civil parish
es form the bottom tier of statutory local government; the parish councils are involved in planning, management of town and parish centres, and promoting tourism. In 2001, 46,072 people lived in Oldham's two civil parishes—Saddleworth
and Shaw and Crompton
—20.9% of the borough's population. The rest of the borough is unparished
.
In 2005, Oldham Borough Counil was assessed as "weak" but "improving well" by the Audit Commission
. It was awarded two stars, placing it in the bottom third of councils in the country according to perceived performance. According to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council sets the highest council tax
rates in Greater Manchester
. It has the second highest council tax rates of the metropolitan
areas, and is placed as the 16th highest rate of council tax in England. In 2007 Oldham was assessed as the second-worst performing local authority in England in terms of providing customer satisfaction.
Since the council's formation it has generally been under the control of the Labour Party, with periods of no overall control, two years of Conservative control, and one of Liberal Democrat control. Since 2007, there has been no overall control, although the Liberal Democrats are currently the largest party.
}
The owls were a "canting
" reference, or heraldic pun, on the original pronunciation of the name. This is still reflected in the local pronunciation of "Ow'dom". In the Metropolitan Borough's arms the gold chief (upper third of the shield) and chevron have "invected" or fluted edges. The arms are further differenced by the replacement of the three red roses by three red annulet
s or circles, representing the initial "O" of the authority's name.
The crest, an owl upon a rock, is placed on a helm above the shield. In order to distinguish the crest from that of the county borough, it rises from a gold circlet bearing six red annulets. The crest wreath and decorative mantling
repeat the black and gold colouring of the arms.
Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council was granted supporters
and a heraldic badge
. The supporters recall the local authorities merged in 1974, and are made up of portions of the arms of the ancient manorial lords
. The red griffin
s come from the arms of the Chadderton and Chetham families. Each griffin wears a collar with an "engrailed" edge recalling the arms of the Radcliffe family. Each collar bears red bendlets from the arms of the Byrons. From the collars hang heptagons, the seven sides representing the union of seven councils. One heptagon bears a black spur-rowel from the Assheton family arms, the other a black saddle, recalling the derivation of the name "Saddleworth".
The badge is a black heptagon bearing a silver owl, the whole contained within a red annulet.
The Latin
motto
of the county borough continues in use: Sapere Aude or "dare to be wise" refers to the owls in the arms , while "Aude", pronounced "Owd" continues the pun. The motto is also used by Manchester Grammar School.
The blazon
is as follows:
in Oldham is largely ceremonial; their main role is as an ambassador or representative of the borough. The mayor also chairs council meetings and is the only office of the borough approved to use the coat of arms. A new mayor is elected by the borough councillors and serves a term of one year. The deputy mayor is elected at the same time, and usually becomes mayor the following year.
The first mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham was Ellen Brierley elected 1974 to 1975, although there had been mayors of the county borough of Oldham between 1845 and 1973. It is usual for a mayor to highlight chosen local charities.
lies to the north-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, but Derbyshire is only bordered by high moorland near Black Hill and is not accessible by road.
As of the 2001 UK census
, the borough of Oldham had a population of 217,273. Of the 87,824 households in Oldham, 36.8% were married couples living together, 29.5% were one-person households, 8.9% were co-habiting
couples and 11.5% were lone parents. These figures were broadly in line with national averages, although the proportion of lone parent households was above the national average of 9.5%.
The population density was 1526 /km2 and for every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. Of those aged 16–74 in Oldham, 37.7% had no academic qualifications
, significantly higher than 28.9% in all of England. The proportion of Oldham's residents born outside of the United Kingdom was below the national average (8.1% compared to 9.2%) The largest minority group was recorded as Asian, at 11.9% of the population.
The rise of the middle class
es in Oldham has reflected the wider national trend, roughly steady from 1841 until 1921 and then increasing almost exponentially until 2001. However, the proportion of middle class people was always 5–10% below the national average. Over the same period, the proportion of working class
people in Oldham decreased steadily from 60% in 1841 to 23% 1991; since then there has been an increase in the percentage of working class people to 34%. This was roughly the same pattern as the national averages, however Oldham has a greater proportion of working class people than the whole of England. As of the 2007/2008 financial year, the crime rates in Oldham were broadly similar to the national averages. However, the number of theft from a vehicle offences and theft of a vehicle per 1,000 of the population was 10.6 and 4.5 compared to the English national average of 6.9 and 2.7 respectively.
The average gross
weekly income in the borough of Oldham is £297; not only is this below the national average but it is the lowest of Greater Manchester's ten boroughs. Environmental technologies and life science industries have been identified as growth industries in Greater Manchester and are concentrated in Oldham as well as Bolton, Manchester
, and Tameside. Out of the ten metropolitan boroughs in Greater Manchester, the average house prices in Oldham are seventh highest, 15% below the average for the county.
As of the United Kingdom Census 2001
, Oldham had 152,602 residents aged 16 to 74. Of these people, 2.1% were students with jobs, 3.9% students without jobs, 6.7% looking after home or family, 7.7% permanently sick or disabled and 3.8% economically inactive for other reasons.
In 2001, of 92,777 residents of Oldham in employment, the industry of employment was 20.4% retail and wholesale, 20.3% manufacturing, 10.7% health and social work, 9.2% property and business services, 7.5% education, 7.1% construction, 6.7% transport and communications, 5.0% public administration and defence, 4.6% hotels and restaurants, 3.6% finance, 0.8% energy and water supply, 0.5% agriculture, and 3.7% other. This was roughly in line with national figures, although the proportion of jobs in agriculture was below the national average of 1.5% and the rates of people working in the areas of finance and property were below the national averages of 4.8% and 13.2 respectively; the proportion of people working in retail and wholesale was above the national average of 16.7%, and much higher than the national average of 14.8% for people working in manufacturing.
s in SATs performance and 8th in Greater Manchester in 2006. In 2007, the Oldham LEA was ranked 122nd out of 148 in the country—and 8th in Greater Manchester—based on the percentage of pupils attaining at least 5 A*-C grades at GCSE including maths and English (35.4% compared with the national average of 45.8%). Schools in the borough of Oldham include:
, it does have the second highest number of Grade II buildings in Greater Manchester after Manchester. The listed buildings range from former weavers' cottage
s 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.
Oldham has two of Greater Manchester's 38 Scheduled Monuments. Castleshaw Roman fort
was built in 79 AD and was one of a chain of forts
built along the route connecting the fortresses at Chester
(Deva Victrix
) and York
(Eboracum
). It is one of only two known Roman forts in Greater Manchester, the other is at Manchester (Mamucium). Oldham's other Scheduled Monuments is a Bronze Age
bowl barrow
in Saddleworth. Also in the borough are five of Greater Manchester's Sites of Special Scientific Interest, they are a section of Dark Peak
, the Ladcastle and Den Quarries, the Lowside Brickworks, the Rochdale Canal
, and part of the South Pennine Moors.
, 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.
an places: Each was originally twinned with a place within the Metropolitan Borough boundaries prior to its creation in 1974.
Metropolitan borough
A metropolitan borough is a type of local government district in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted...
of Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It has a population of 219,600, and spans 55 square miles (142 km²). The borough is named after its largest town, Oldham
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
, but also includes the outlying towns of Chadderton
Chadderton
Chadderton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of Lancashire...
, Failsworth
Failsworth
At Failsworth lies north-northwest of London. It shares common boundaries with Manchester and Oldham, on its west and northeast respectively. Failsworth is traversed by the A62 road, from Manchester to Oldham, the heavy rail line of the Oldham Loop and the Rochdale Canal, which crosses the...
, Royton
Royton
Royton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies by the source of the River Irk, on undulating land at the foothills of the Pennines, north-northwest of Oldham, south-southeast of Rochdale and northeast of the city of Manchester.Historically a...
and Shaw and Crompton
Shaw and Crompton
Shaw and Crompton is a town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Beal at the foothills of the South Pennines, north of Oldham, southeast of Rochdale, and to the northeast of the city of Manchester...
, the village of Lees
Lees, Greater Manchester
The village consists of a small cluster of shops and businesses on either side of the A669 Lees Road, surrounded by some terraced houses and some small estates...
, and the parish of Saddleworth
Saddleworth
Saddleworth is a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. It comprises several villages and hamlets amongst the west side of the Pennine hills: Uppermill, Greenfield, Dobcross, Delph, Diggle and others...
. The borough was formed in 1974 as part of the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
and is an amalgamation
Amalgamation (politics)
A merger or amalgamation in a political or administrative sense is the combination of two or more political or administrative entities such as municipalities , counties, districts, etc. into a single entity. This term is used when the process occurs within a sovereign entity...
of the former County Borough of Oldham
County Borough of Oldham
Oldham was, from 1849 to 1974, a local government district in the northwest of England coterminate with the town of Oldham.-Improvement Commissioners:...
with the Chadderton
Chadderton Urban District
Chadderton Urban District was, from 1894 to 1974, a local government district of the administrative county of Lancashire, England. It was centred on the town of Chadderton....
, Crompton, Lees
Lees Urban District
Lees was from 1894 to 1974, a local government district in the administrative county of Lancashire, England.It was created an urban district in 1894 by the Local Government Act 1894 and included the civil parish of Lees and part of the Crossbank hamlet...
, Royton
Royton Urban District
Royton was, from 1863 to 1974, a local government district in Lancashire, England which covered the modern-day town of Royton, and its suburbs and districts....
urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
s of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
and the Saddleworth Urban District of the West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
.
Although a 20th century creation, the borough has Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
, Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
and Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
heritage. It encompasses several former mill town
Mill town
A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories .- United Kingdom:...
s, which expanded and coalesced during the late-19th century as a result of population growth
Population growth
Population growth is the change in a population over time, and can be quantified as the change in the number of individuals of any species in a population using "per unit time" for measurement....
and advances in textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution
Textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution
The industrial revolution changed the nature of work and society. Opinion varies as to the exact date, but it is estimated that the First Industrial Revolution took place between 1750 and 1850, and the second phase or Second Industrial Revolution between 1860 and 1900. The three key drivers in...
. Although some parts contiguous with the city of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
are highly industrialised and densely populated, about two-thirds of the borough is composed of rural open space; the eastern half stretches across the South Pennines
South Pennines
South Pennines is a region of moorland and hill country in northern England lying towards the southern end of the Pennines. It is bounded to the west by the Forest of Rossendale and the Yorkshire Dales to the north...
.
For its first 12 years the borough had a two-tier system of local government; Oldham Council shared power with the Greater Manchester County Council
Greater Manchester County Council
The Greater Manchester County Council — also known as the Greater Manchester Council — was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater Manchester from 1974 to 1986...
. Since the Local Government Act 1985
Local Government Act 1985
The Local Government Act 1985 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. Its main effect was to abolish the county councils of the metropolitan counties that had been set up in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, along with the Greater London Council that had been established in 1965.The...
Oldham Council has effectively been a unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
, serving as the sole executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
, deliberative
Deliberation
Deliberation is a process of thoughtfully weighing options, usually prior to voting. In legal settings a jury famously uses deliberation because it is given specific options, like guilty or not guilty, along with information and arguments to evaluate. Deliberation emphasizes the use of logic and...
and legislative body responsible for local policy, setting council tax
Council tax
Council Tax is the system of local taxation used in England, Scotland and Wales to part fund the services provided by local government in each country. It was introduced in 1993 by the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as a successor to the unpopular Community Charge...
, and allocating budget in the district. The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham has two civil parishes and 20 electoral wards
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
.
Noted as one of the more unpopular amalgamations of territory created by local government reform in the 1970s, the Oldham borough underwent a £100,000 rebranding exercise in early 2008. The town has no listed buildings with a Grade I rating, and the borough's architecture has been described as "mediocre". There have been calls for the borough to be renamed, but that possibility was dismissed during the rebranding of 2008.
History
Following both the Local Government Act 1888Local Government Act 1888
The Local Government Act 1888 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which established county councils and county borough councils in England and Wales...
and Local Government Act 1894
Local Government Act 1894
The Local Government Act 1894 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level under the Local Government Act 1888...
, local government in England had been administered via a national framework of rural district
Rural district
Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the administrative counties.-England and Wales:In England...
s, urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
s, municipal borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
s and county borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
s, which (apart from the latter which were independent), shared power with strategic county council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
s of the administrative counties
Administrative counties of England
Administrative counties were a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government from 1889 to 1974. They were created by the Local Government Act 1888 as the areas for which county councils were elected. Some large counties were divided into several administrative...
. The areas that were incorporated into the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in 1974 had formed part of Chadderton Urban District
Chadderton Urban District
Chadderton Urban District was, from 1894 to 1974, a local government district of the administrative county of Lancashire, England. It was centred on the town of Chadderton....
, Crompton Urban District, Failsworth Urban District, Lees Urban District
Lees Urban District
Lees was from 1894 to 1974, a local government district in the administrative county of Lancashire, England.It was created an urban district in 1894 by the Local Government Act 1894 and included the civil parish of Lees and part of the Crossbank hamlet...
and Royton Urban District
Royton Urban District
Royton was, from 1863 to 1974, a local government district in Lancashire, England which covered the modern-day town of Royton, and its suburbs and districts....
from the administrative county of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, Saddleworth Urban District from the West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
, and the politically independent County Borough of Oldham
County Borough of Oldham
Oldham was, from 1849 to 1974, a local government district in the northwest of England coterminate with the town of Oldham.-Improvement Commissioners:...
. By the early 1970s, nationally, this system of demarcation was described as "archaic" and "grossly inadequate to keep pace both with the impact of motor travel, and with the huge increases in local government responsibilities". After the exploration of reform, such as the proposals made by the Redcliffe-Maud Report
Redcliffe-Maud Report
The Redcliffe–Maud Report is the name generally given to the report published by the Royal Commission on Local Government in England 1966–1969 under the chairmanship of Lord Redcliffe-Maud.-Terms of reference and membership:...
in the late 1960s, the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
restructured local government in England by creating a system of two-tier metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties
Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England
Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of subdivisions of England used for the purposes of local government outside Greater London. As originally constituted, the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties each consisted of multiple districts, had a county council and...
and districts throughout the country. The act formally established the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham as a local government district of the new metropolitan county
Metropolitan county
The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level administrative division of England. There are six metropolitan counties, which each cover large urban areas, typically with populations of 1.2 to 2.8 million...
of Greater Manchester on 1 April 1974. The district was granted honorific borough status
Borough status in the United Kingdom
Borough status in the United Kingdom is granted by royal charter to local government districts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The status is purely honorary, and does not give any additional powers to the council or inhabitants of the district...
on 23 November 1973 by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
, which allowed the council to have a mayor. The new dual local authorities of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council and Greater Manchester County Council
Greater Manchester County Council
The Greater Manchester County Council — also known as the Greater Manchester Council — was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater Manchester from 1974 to 1986...
had been running since elections in 1973
United Kingdom local elections, 1973
The first elections to the new local authorities established by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales and the new Northern Ireland district councils created by the Local Government Act 1972 took place in 1973...
however. The leading article in The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
on the day the Local Government Act came into effect noted that the "new arrangement is a compromise which seeks to reconcile familiar geography which commands a certain amount of affection and loyalty, with the scale of operations on which modern planning methods can work effectively".
The borough is noted as one of the more unpopular amalgamations of territory created by local government reform in the 1970s. This being especially true of residents of the parish of Saddleworth
Saddleworth
Saddleworth is a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. It comprises several villages and hamlets amongst the west side of the Pennine hills: Uppermill, Greenfield, Dobcross, Delph, Diggle and others...
who viewed the new arrangement as a "retrograde step". It had been proposed in a government White paper
White paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
that the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham include the former mill town of Middleton
Middleton, Greater Manchester
Middleton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Irk, south-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester...
. However this was given to the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale
Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale
The Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. It is named after its largest town, Rochdale, but spans a far larger area which includes the towns of Middleton, Heywood, Littleborough and Milnrow, and the village of Wardle.The borough was...
once it was decided that Rochdale
Rochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
and Bury
Bury
Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
would not be merged. Before its creation, it was suggested that the metropolitan borough be named New Oldham, but that was rejected.
In the early 20th century, following some exchanges of land, there were attempts to amalgamate Chadderton Urban District with the County Borough of Oldham. However, this was resisted by councillors from Chadderton Urban District Council.
The Oldham borough underwent a rebranding exercise in 2008 with a view to improving cross-community unity. Officials believed the borough's image was outdated and that "often negative" national media coverage held and continues to hold back businesses and hampers attempts to attract new investors, visitors and external funding. There had been calls for the borough to be renamed to a "settlement-neutral" name (such as those of neighbouring districts of Calderdale
Calderdale
The Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England, through which the upper part of the River Calder flows, and from which it takes its name...
, Kirklees
Kirklees
The Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 401,000 and includes the settlements of Batley, Birstall, Cleckheaton, Denby Dale, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Huddersfield, Kirkburton, Marsden, Meltham, Mirfield and Slaithwaite...
and Tameside
Tameside
The Metropolitan Borough of Tameside is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. It is named after the River Tame which flows through the borough and spans the towns of Ashton-under-Lyne, Audenshaw, Denton, Droylsden, Dukinfield, Hyde, Mossley and Stalybridge. Its western...
) as part of the rebranding. However, consultants cited that this idea came from a "vocal minority" wishing to distance themselves from Oldham. The borough name was unchanged.
Council
For the first 12 years after the county was created in 1974, the borough had a two-tier system of local government, and so Oldham Council shared power with the Greater Manchester County Council. The Greater Manchester County Council, a strategic authority running regional services such as transport, strategic planning, emergency services and waste disposal, comprised 106 members drawn from the ten metropolitan boroughMetropolitan borough
A metropolitan borough is a type of local government district in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted...
s of Greater Manchester. However in 1986, along with the five other metropolitan county
Metropolitan county
The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level administrative division of England. There are six metropolitan counties, which each cover large urban areas, typically with populations of 1.2 to 2.8 million...
councils and the Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
, the Greater Manchester County Council was abolished, and most of its powers were devolved to the boroughs. Since 1986, Oldham Council has effectively been a unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
that serves as the sole executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
, deliberative
Deliberation
Deliberation is a process of thoughtfully weighing options, usually prior to voting. In legal settings a jury famously uses deliberation because it is given specific options, like guilty or not guilty, along with information and arguments to evaluate. Deliberation emphasizes the use of logic and...
and legislative body responsible for setting local policy, and allocating budget. Its duties also include setting levels of council tax
Council tax
Council Tax is the system of local taxation used in England, Scotland and Wales to part fund the services provided by local government in each country. It was introduced in 1993 by the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as a successor to the unpopular Community Charge...
, monitoring the health service in the borough, providing social care, and providing funding for schools. The borough's centre of administration since 1977 has been Oldham Civic Centre.
Civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
es form the bottom tier of statutory local government; the parish councils are involved in planning, management of town and parish centres, and promoting tourism. In 2001, 46,072 people lived in Oldham's two civil parishes—Saddleworth
Saddleworth
Saddleworth is a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. It comprises several villages and hamlets amongst the west side of the Pennine hills: Uppermill, Greenfield, Dobcross, Delph, Diggle and others...
and Shaw and Crompton
Shaw and Crompton
Shaw and Crompton is a town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Beal at the foothills of the South Pennines, north of Oldham, southeast of Rochdale, and to the northeast of the city of Manchester...
—20.9% of the borough's population. The rest of the borough is unparished
Unparished area
In England, an unparished area is an area that is not covered by a civil parish. Most urbanised districts of England are either entirely or partly unparished. Many towns and some cities in otherwise rural districts are also unparished areas and therefore no longer have a town council or city...
.
In 2005, Oldham Borough Counil was assessed as "weak" but "improving well" by the Audit Commission
Audit Commission
The Audit Commission is a public corporation in the United Kingdom.The Commission’s primary objective is to improve economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local government, housing and the health service, directly through the audit and inspection process and also through value for money...
. It was awarded two stars, placing it in the bottom third of councils in the country according to perceived performance. According to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council sets the highest council tax
Council tax
Council Tax is the system of local taxation used in England, Scotland and Wales to part fund the services provided by local government in each country. It was introduced in 1993 by the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as a successor to the unpopular Community Charge...
rates in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
. It has the second highest council tax rates of the metropolitan
Metropolitan county
The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level administrative division of England. There are six metropolitan counties, which each cover large urban areas, typically with populations of 1.2 to 2.8 million...
areas, and is placed as the 16th highest rate of council tax in England. In 2007 Oldham was assessed as the second-worst performing local authority in England in terms of providing customer satisfaction.
Since the council's formation it has generally been under the control of the Labour Party, with periods of no overall control, two years of Conservative control, and one of Liberal Democrat control. Since 2007, there has been no overall control, although the Liberal Democrats are currently the largest party.
| Party | Seats | Current Council (2010–11) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 2010 | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lib Dems | 30 | 27 | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
22 | 27 | 34 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
7 | 6 | 5 |
The owls were a "canting
Canting arms
Canting arms are heraldic bearings that represent the bearer's name in a visual pun or rebus. The term cant came into the English language from Anglo-Norman cant, meaning song or singing, from Latin cantāre, and English cognates include canticle, chant, accent, incantation and recant.Canting arms –...
" reference, or heraldic pun, on the original pronunciation of the name. This is still reflected in the local pronunciation of "Ow'dom". In the Metropolitan Borough's arms the gold chief (upper third of the shield) and chevron have "invected" or fluted edges. The arms are further differenced by the replacement of the three red roses by three red annulet
Annulet
Annulet can refer to:* Annulet , a mark in distinction* Annulet , a fillet or ring encircling a column* The Annulet, Charissa obscurata, a species of moth in the family Geometridae...
s or circles, representing the initial "O" of the authority's name.
The crest, an owl upon a rock, is placed on a helm above the shield. In order to distinguish the crest from that of the county borough, it rises from a gold circlet bearing six red annulets. The crest wreath and decorative mantling
Mantling
In heraldry, mantling or lambrequin is drapery tied to the helmet above the shield. It forms a backdrop for the shield. In paper heraldry it is a depiction of the protective cloth covering worn by knights from their helmets to stave off the elements, and, secondarily, to decrease the effects of...
repeat the black and gold colouring of the arms.
Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council was granted supporters
Supporters
In heraldry, supporters are figures usually placed on either side of the shield and depicted holding it up. These figures may be real or imaginary animals, human figures, and in rare cases plants or inanimate objects...
and a heraldic badge
Heraldic badge
A heraldic badge is an emblem or personal device worn as a badge to indicate allegiance to or the property of an individual or family. Medieval forms are usually called a livery badge, and also a cognizance...
. The supporters recall the local authorities merged in 1974, and are made up of portions of the arms of the ancient manorial lords
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
. The red griffin
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle...
s come from the arms of the Chadderton and Chetham families. Each griffin wears a collar with an "engrailed" edge recalling the arms of the Radcliffe family. Each collar bears red bendlets from the arms of the Byrons. From the collars hang heptagons, the seven sides representing the union of seven councils. One heptagon bears a black spur-rowel from the Assheton family arms, the other a black saddle, recalling the derivation of the name "Saddleworth".
The badge is a black heptagon bearing a silver owl, the whole contained within a red annulet.
The Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
of the county borough continues in use: Sapere Aude or "dare to be wise" refers to the owls in the arms , while "Aude", pronounced "Owd" continues the pun. The motto is also used by Manchester Grammar School.
The blazon
Blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
is as follows:
Mayor
The office of mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
in Oldham is largely ceremonial; their main role is as an ambassador or representative of the borough. The mayor also chairs council meetings and is the only office of the borough approved to use the coat of arms. A new mayor is elected by the borough councillors and serves a term of one year. The deputy mayor is elected at the same time, and usually becomes mayor the following year.
The first mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham was Ellen Brierley elected 1974 to 1975, although there had been mayors of the county borough of Oldham between 1845 and 1973. It is usual for a mayor to highlight chosen local charities.
| Name | Year | Name | Year | Name | Year | Name | Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ellen Brierley | 1974–1975 | Colin Campbell | 1980–1981 | Sidney Jacobs | 1990–1991 | John Dillon | 2000–2001 | |||
| Jack Armitage | 1975–1976 | John Raymon Crowther | 1981–1982 | Ralph Semple | 1991–1992 | Christine Wheeler | 2001–2002 | |||
| Christopher McCall | 1976–1977 | Alfred Clarke | 1982–1983 | Norman Bennett | 1992–1993 | Riaz Ahmad | 2002–2003 | |||
| Geoffrey Webb | 1977–1978 | John Joseph Curran | 1983–1984 | Brian Mather | 1993–1994 | Val Sedgewick | 2003–2004 | |||
| Edward Lord | 1978–1979 | James Kevin Leyden | 1984–1985 | Frank Heap | 1994–1995 | Abdul Jabbar | 2004–2005 | |||
| Harold Shanley | 1979–1980 | Alwyn Bywater McConnell | 1985–1986 | Joseph Farquar | 1995–1996 | Kay Knox | 2005–2006 | |||
| Albert Banks Jowett | 1986–1987 | Alan Griffiths | 1996–1997 | Bernard Judge | 2006–2007 | |||||
| Arnold Tweedale O.B.E | 1987–1988 | Peter Dean | 1997–1998 | Ann Wingate | 2007–2008 | |||||
| Harry Slack | 1988–1989 | Margaret Riley | 1998–1999 | Shoab Akhtar | 2008–2009 | |||||
| Elsie Shaw | 1989–1990 | John Battye | 1999–2000 | Jim McArdle | 2009–2010 |
Parliamentary representation
The boundaries of three parliamentary constituencies cover the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham. These are:- Oldham East and Saddleworth represented by Debbie AbrahamsDebbie AbrahamsDeborah Angela Elspeth Abrahams is a British politician, who has been the Labour Member of Parliament for the Oldham East and Saddleworth constituency since a by-election in January 2011. Her previous career was as a public health consultant.-Early and professional life:Abrahams was born in...
MP. - Oldham West and Royton represented by Michael MeacherMichael MeacherMichael Hugh Meacher is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Oldham West and Royton since 1997. Previously he had been the MP for Oldham West, first elected in 1970. On 22 February 2007 he declared that he would be standing for the Labour Leadership, challenging...
MP. - Ashton-under-LyneAshton-under-Lyne (UK Parliament constituency)Ashton-under-Lyne is a constituency centred on the town of Ashton-under-Lyne that is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
represented by David HeyesDavid HeyesDavid Alan Heyes is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Ashton under Lyne since 2001.-Early life:...
MP - The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham was a part of the Greater Manchester East European Parliamentary constituency. It has been a part of the North West England (European Parliament constituency)North West England (European Parliament constituency)North West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. For the 2009 elections it elects 8 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.-Boundaries:...
since 1999.
Geography
The Metropolitan Borough of RochdaleMetropolitan Borough of Rochdale
The Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. It is named after its largest town, Rochdale, but spans a far larger area which includes the towns of Middleton, Heywood, Littleborough and Milnrow, and the village of Wardle.The borough was...
lies to the north-west, the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees
Kirklees
The Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 401,000 and includes the settlements of Batley, Birstall, Cleckheaton, Denby Dale, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Huddersfield, Kirkburton, Marsden, Meltham, Mirfield and Slaithwaite...
(of West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
) 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, but Derbyshire is only bordered by high moorland near Black Hill and is not accessible by road.
Parishes
Showing status at 31 March 1974 (prior to the Local Government Act 1972 taking effect).- SaddleworthSaddleworthSaddleworth is a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. It comprises several villages and hamlets amongst the west side of the Pennine hills: Uppermill, Greenfield, Dobcross, Delph, Diggle and others...
(Saddleworth Urban DistrictUrban districtIn the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
) - Shaw and CromptonShaw and CromptonShaw and Crompton is a town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Beal at the foothills of the South Pennines, north of Oldham, southeast of Rochdale, and to the northeast of the city of Manchester...
(Crompton Urban District)
Unparished areas
Showing former status.- ChaddertonChaddertonChadderton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of Lancashire...
(Chadderton Urban DistrictChadderton Urban DistrictChadderton Urban District was, from 1894 to 1974, a local government district of the administrative county of Lancashire, England. It was centred on the town of Chadderton....
) - FailsworthFailsworthAt Failsworth lies north-northwest of London. It shares common boundaries with Manchester and Oldham, on its west and northeast respectively. Failsworth is traversed by the A62 road, from Manchester to Oldham, the heavy rail line of the Oldham Loop and the Rochdale Canal, which crosses the...
(Failsworth Urban District) - LeesLees, Greater ManchesterThe village consists of a small cluster of shops and businesses on either side of the A669 Lees Road, surrounded by some terraced houses and some small estates...
(Lees Urban DistrictLees Urban DistrictLees was from 1894 to 1974, a local government district in the administrative county of Lancashire, England.It was created an urban district in 1894 by the Local Government Act 1894 and included the civil parish of Lees and part of the Crossbank hamlet...
) - OldhamOldhamOldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
(County Borough of OldhamCounty Borough of OldhamOldham was, from 1849 to 1974, a local government district in the northwest of England coterminate with the town of Oldham.-Improvement Commissioners:...
) - RoytonRoytonRoyton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies by the source of the River Irk, on undulating land at the foothills of the Pennines, north-northwest of Oldham, south-southeast of Rochdale and northeast of the city of Manchester.Historically a...
(Royton Urban DistrictRoyton Urban DistrictRoyton was, from 1863 to 1974, a local government district in Lancashire, England which covered the modern-day town of Royton, and its suburbs and districts....
)
Demography
| Oldham compared | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 UK Census United Kingdom Census 2001 A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194.... |
Oldham | Greater Manchester | England |
| Total population | 217,273 | 2,514,754 | 49,138,831 |
| White British | 86.1% | 91.2% | 90.9% |
| Asian | 11.9% | 5.6% | 4.6% |
| Mixed | 1.1% | 1.3% | 1.3% |
| Black | 0.6% | 1.2% | 2.3% |
| Chinese and other | 0.3% | 0.8% | 0.9% |
As of the 2001 UK census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, the borough of Oldham had a population of 217,273. Of the 87,824 households in Oldham, 36.8% were married couples living together, 29.5% were one-person households, 8.9% were co-habiting
Cohabitation
Cohabitation usually refers to an arrangement whereby two people decide to live together on a long-term or permanent basis in an emotionally and/or sexually intimate relationship. The term is most frequently applied to couples who are not married...
couples and 11.5% were lone parents. These figures were broadly in line with national averages, although the proportion of lone parent households was above the national average of 9.5%.
The population density was 1526 /km2 and for every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. Of those aged 16–74 in Oldham, 37.7% had no academic qualifications
National Qualifications Framework
The National Qualifications Framework is a credit transfer system developed for qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland....
, significantly higher than 28.9% in all of England. The proportion of Oldham's residents born outside of the United Kingdom was below the national average (8.1% compared to 9.2%) The largest minority group was recorded as Asian, at 11.9% of the population.
The rise of the middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
es in Oldham has reflected the wider national trend, roughly steady from 1841 until 1921 and then increasing almost exponentially until 2001. However, the proportion of middle class people was always 5–10% below the national average. Over the same period, the proportion of working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
people in Oldham decreased steadily from 60% in 1841 to 23% 1991; since then there has been an increase in the percentage of working class people to 34%. This was roughly the same pattern as the national averages, however Oldham has a greater proportion of working class people than the whole of England. As of the 2007/2008 financial year, the crime rates in Oldham were broadly similar to the national averages. However, the number of theft from a vehicle offences and theft of a vehicle per 1,000 of the population was 10.6 and 4.5 compared to the English national average of 6.9 and 2.7 respectively.
Population change
The table below details the population change since 1801, including the percentage change since the last available census data. Although the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham has only existed 1974, figures have been generated by combining data from the towns, villages, and civil parishes that would later be constituent parts of the borough.| Population change in Oldham since 1801 | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1801 | 1811 | 1821 | 1831 | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1941 | 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 |
| Population | 41,471 | 52,955 | 59,615 | 84,490 | 66,873 | 77,350 | 117,797 | 158,244 | 198,691 | 233,445 | 244,138 | 255,322 | 250,794 | 246,353 | 234,901 | 223,982 | 224,005 | 224,071 | 219,462 | 219,613 | 217,393 |
| % change | – | +27.8 | +12.5 | +41.7 | −20.9 | +15.7 | +52.3 | +34.3 | +25.6 | +17.5 | +4.6 | +4.6 | −1.8 | −1.8 | −4.6 | −4.6 | +0.01 | +0.03 | −2.1 | +0.1 | −1.0 |
| Source: Vision of Britain |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Economy
| Oldham compared | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 UK Census United Kingdom Census 2001 A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194.... |
Oldham | Greater Manchester | England |
| Population of working age | 152,602 | 1,805,315 | 35,532,091 |
| Full time employment | 40.7% | 40.3% | 40.8% |
| Part time employment | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.8% |
| Self employed | 6.8% | 6.7% | 8.3% |
| Unemployed | 3.7% | 3.5% | 3.3% |
| Retired | 13.0% | 13.0% | 13.5% |
The average gross
Gross (economics)
In economics, gross means before deductions. The antonym is net, meaning after deductions.-Usage:In this sense, it may appear an adjective, following the noun it modifies, e.g., "earned two million dollars, gross"...
weekly income in the borough of Oldham is £297; not only is this below the national average but it is the lowest of Greater Manchester's ten boroughs. Environmental technologies and life science industries have been identified as growth industries in Greater Manchester and are concentrated in Oldham as well as Bolton, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, and Tameside. Out of the ten metropolitan boroughs in Greater Manchester, the average house prices in Oldham are seventh highest, 15% below the average for the county.
As of the United Kingdom Census 2001
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, Oldham had 152,602 residents aged 16 to 74. Of these people, 2.1% were students with jobs, 3.9% students without jobs, 6.7% looking after home or family, 7.7% permanently sick or disabled and 3.8% economically inactive for other reasons.
In 2001, of 92,777 residents of Oldham in employment, the industry of employment was 20.4% retail and wholesale, 20.3% manufacturing, 10.7% health and social work, 9.2% property and business services, 7.5% education, 7.1% construction, 6.7% transport and communications, 5.0% public administration and defence, 4.6% hotels and restaurants, 3.6% finance, 0.8% energy and water supply, 0.5% agriculture, and 3.7% other. This was roughly in line with national figures, although the proportion of jobs in agriculture was below the national average of 1.5% and the rates of people working in the areas of finance and property were below the national averages of 4.8% and 13.2 respectively; the proportion of people working in retail and wholesale was above the national average of 16.7%, and much higher than the national average of 14.8% for people working in manufacturing.
Education
There are around 161 schools in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham. Overall, Oldham was ranked 90th out of the all the Local Education AuthorityLocal Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
s in SATs performance and 8th in Greater Manchester in 2006. In 2007, the Oldham LEA was ranked 122nd out of 148 in the country—and 8th in Greater Manchester—based on the percentage of pupils attaining at least 5 A*-C grades at GCSE including maths and English (35.4% compared with the national average of 45.8%). Schools in the borough of Oldham include:
Landmarks
There were 11 Grade II* listed buildings, and 524 Grade II in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, and thirty-six Conservation Areas. Although the borough has no Grade I listed buildingsGrade I listed buildings in Greater Manchester
-See also:*Architecture of Manchester*Conservation in the United Kingdom*Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester*List of tallest buildings in Manchester*Scheduled Monuments in Greater Manchester-Bibliography:...
, it does have the second highest number of Grade II buildings in Greater Manchester after Manchester. The listed buildings range from former weavers' cottage
Weavers' cottage
A weavers' cottage was a type of house used by weavers for cloth production in the Domestic system.Weavers' cottages were common in Great Britain, particularly in Yorkshire, usually with dwelling quarters on the lower floors and loom-shops on the top floor...
s 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.
Oldham has two of Greater Manchester's 38 Scheduled Monuments. Castleshaw Roman fort
Castleshaw Roman fort
Castleshaw Roman fort was a fort in the Roman province of Britannia. Although there is no evidence to substantiate the claim, it has been suggested that Castleshaw Roman fort is the site of Rigodunum, a Brigantian settlement. The remains of the fort are located on Castle Hill on the eastern side of...
was built in 79 AD and was one of a chain of forts
Castra
The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military defensive position. The word appears in both Oscan and Umbrian as well as in Latin. It may have descended from Indo-European to Italic...
built along the route connecting the fortresses at Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
(Deva Victrix
Deva Victrix
Deva Victrix, or simply Deva, was a legionary fortress and town in the Roman province of Britannia. The settlement evolved into Chester, the county town of Cheshire, England...
) and York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
(Eboracum
Eboracum
Eboracum was a fort and city in Roman Britain. The settlement evolved into York, located in North Yorkshire, England.-Etymology:The first known recorded mention of Eboracum by name is dated circa 95-104 AD and is an address containing the Latin form of the settlement's name, "Eburaci", on a wooden...
). It is one of only two known Roman forts in Greater Manchester, the other is at Manchester (Mamucium). Oldham's other Scheduled Monuments is a Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
bowl barrow
Bowl barrow
Bowl Barrow is the name for a type of burial mound or tumulus. A barrow is a mound of earth used to cover a tomb. The bowl barrow gets its name from the fact that it looks like an upturned bowl...
in Saddleworth. Also in the borough are five of Greater Manchester's Sites of Special Scientific Interest, they are a section of Dark Peak
Dark Peak
The Dark Peak is the higher, wilder northern part of the Peak District in England.It gets its name because , the underlying limestone is covered by a cap of Millstone Grit which means that in winter the soil is almost always saturated with water...
, the Ladcastle and Den Quarries, the Lowside Brickworks, the Rochdale Canal
Rochdale Canal
The Rochdale Canal is a navigable "broad" canal in northern England, part of the connected system of the canals of Great Britain. The "Rochdale" in its name refers to the town of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, through which the canal passes....
, and part of the South Pennine Moors.
Transport
There are three railway lines that serve places in the Oldham borough; one is the main line service running between Huddersfield and ManchesterHuddersfield Line
The Huddersfield Line is the name given to one of the busiest rail services on the West Yorkshire MetroTrain network in northern England. Local services are operated by Northern Rail with longer distance services operated by TransPennine Express...
, with Greenfield railway station
Greenfield railway station
Greenfield railway station serves the village of Greenfield, in the Saddleworth parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England...
the only station served by this line in the borough.
The other two lines form the Manchester to Rochdale via Oldham Line
Manchester to Rochdale via Oldham Line
The Oldham Loop Line was a local railway route in Greater Manchester, England, used by trains that ran from Manchester Victoria station to Rochdale railway station...
service. One line is the main line service running between Bradford and Manchester via Halifax and Rochdale, with Mills Hill railway station
Mills Hill railway station
Mills Hill railway station is in the Mills Hill area of Middleton in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. The station is 9 km north of Manchester Victoria on the Caldervale Line...
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
Shaw and Crompton railway station
Shaw and Crompton railway station which opened on 2 November 1863 was a railway station located in Shaw and Crompton, within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, Greater Manchester, England...
and Oldham Mumps railway station
Oldham Mumps railway station
Oldham Mumps Railway Station opened on 1 November 1847 and served the town of Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. The station was a primary station located on the Oldham Loop Line north east of Manchester Victoria operated and managed by Northern Rail....
, 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
First Manchester
First Manchester is one of the bus companies serving Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. It forms part of FirstGroup, a company operating transport services across the British Isles and in North America...
, whose HQ is based in Oldham at Wallshaw Street, which is located at Oldham Mumps Bridge.
Twin towns
The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham has formal twinning arrangements with three EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an places: Each was originally twinned with a place within the Metropolitan Borough boundaries prior to its creation in 1974.
| Country | Place | County / District / Region / State | Originally twinned with | Date | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... ! style="background: #FFFFCF; c>lor: #000000" ! |  |
Landsberg am Lech Landsberg am Lech Landsberg am Lech is a town in southwest Bavaria, Germany, about 65 kilometers west of Munich and 35 kilometers south of Augsburg. It is the capital of the district of Landsberg am Lech.... ! style="backg>ound: #FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! |  Kingdom of Bavaria |
Bayern Bavaria Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany... |
Failsworth Urban District | 1974 | |||
| Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... ! style="background: #FFFFCF; c>lor: #000000" ! |  |
Geesthacht Geesthacht Geesthacht is the largest city in the District of the Duchy of Lauenburg in Schleswig-Holstein in Northern Germany, 34 km southeast of Hamburg on the right bank of the river Elbe.-History:*Around 800: A church is documented.... ! style="background: >FFFFEF; color: #000000" ! |  Schleswig-Holstein |
Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig... |
Chadderton Urban District Chadderton Urban District Chadderton Urban District was, from 1894 to 1974, a local government district of the administrative county of Lancashire, England. It was centred on the town of Chadderton.... |
1966 | |||
| Slovenia Slovenia Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of... ! style="background: #FFFFCF; >olor: #000000" ! | |
Kranj Kranj ' is the third largest municipality and fourth largest city in Slovenia, with a population of 54,500 . It is located approximately 20 km north-west of Ljubljana... ! style="background: #FFFF>F; color: #000000" ! | |
Gorenjska Gorenjska statistical region The Upper Carniola statistical region is a statistical region in northwest Slovenia. The region comprises 18 municipalities: Bled, Bohinj, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Gorenja vas-Poljane, Gorje, Jesenice, Jezersko, Kranj, Kranjska Gora, Naklo, Preddvor, Radovljica, Šenčur, Škofja Loka, Tržič,... |
County Borough of Oldham County Borough of Oldham Oldham was, from 1849 to 1974, a local government district in the northwest of England coterminate with the town of Oldham.-Improvement Commissioners:... |
1961 |
See also
- List of people from Oldham
- Oldham Council election 1998Oldham Council election 1998The 1998 Oldham Council election took place on 7 May 1998 to elect members of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council in Greater Manchester, England...
External links
- www.oldham.gov.uk Website operated by Oldham Council.
- www.oldhaminfo.org The Oldham Partnership's research and statistics website.
- http://www.statistics.gov.uk, the profile of the borough based upon the 2001 United Kingdom Census.
- www.oneoldham.com, website about Oldham's 2008 rebranding.