Oldham Council has approved temporary Lead Member roles to provide political oversight while it works towards appointing a Council Leader and Cabinet.

Councillors agreed the arrangements on 16 September. They include interim Lead Member and Deputy Lead Member posts linked to the council's four directorates, its main service departments.

Under the plan, Chief Executive Shelley Kipling will continue to use delegated executive powers, the formal authority to take executive decisions. Lead Members will provide political oversight and act as a visible link between residents, councillors and services, but will have no executive decision-making powers.

The four portfolios have been shared between the council's four largest political groups, with deputies drawn from the same groups. The council named Sam Al-Hamdani as a Liberal Democrat Lead Member and Kamran Ghafoor as a Lead Member for The Oldham Group.

The Resources portfolio covers finances, budget management, the transformation programme, corporate services and performance. The Place portfolio covers regeneration, planning, housing, highways and major projects that support Oldham's future prosperity. The other portfolios cover children and young people, including social care, education and safeguarding, and health and adult care.

The arrangements will stay in place until a Council Leader and Cabinet are appointed, or until the council decides otherwise. The council said they were developed after legal advice and talks with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and group leaders, and that cross-party scrutiny arrangements will continue.