About Oldham news

Oldham Council has secured the Gold Award in the national Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme, the highest badge a civilian employer can earn. The honour, announced in July 2025, recognises the council's record of hiring service leavers, supporting reservists and maintaining armed-forces-friendly HR policies.

The accolade arrives as the council continues to rebuild after 14 years of Whitehall cuts. In March 2025 it balanced its books for the coming year and in June was named 'Most Improved Council' at the Local Government Chronicle Awards, the first time Oldham has taken that national title.

Physical signs of recovery are visible across the town centre. Snipe Gardens, a new pedestrian gateway with lawns and seating, opened in June 2025, while the former Coliseum Theatre building is scheduled to reopen in 2026 after internal refurbishment. Both projects are part of a wider plan to draw footfall back to the retail core.

Council leader Arooj Shah says the award and building sites send the same message: Oldham is open for business and ready to repay the loyalty of residents who have endured austerity. The authority will now display the Gold Award logo on job adverts and council premises.