Lib-Dems slam 'grubby deal' between Labour and 'so-called' Independents
Oldham Council's Labour administration passed its budget with support from Shaw and Crompton 'Independents' and the Failsworth Independent Party, drawing criticism from the Liberal Democrats, who accused the Independents of making a "grubby deal" with Labour in exchange for favours.
Oldham Council last night adopted its 2024-25 budget after Labour and two break-away localist groups combined to out-vote the Liberal Democrats.
The ruling Labour group, backed by members of the Shaw and Crompton Independents and the Failsworth Independent Party, carried the financial package by 31 votes to 16, with four abstentions.
A rival budget tabled by the Liberal Democrats, which proposed trimming civic-centre costs to release extra money for parks, highway repairs and children’s services, was rejected 36-15.
Cllr Howard Sykes, leader of the 15-strong Liberal Democrat opposition, claimed the outcome was the product of “a grubby deal”.
“These so-called Independents pledged their support to Labour before they had even seen the budget, purely in return for paid committee posts,” he told the meeting.
“Residents elected them to challenge Labour, not to keep a struggling administration in power.”
No Labour councillor spoke during the brief budget debate, and the Shaw and Crompton Independents declined to respond to Cllr Sykes’ accusations in the chamber.
The new budget now takes effect from 1 April.
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