Supplementary memorandum by Oldham Metropolitan
Borough Council (SOC 27(a))
I refer to your letter of 20 November 2003.
As I said in my previous letter it has taken
a little time to assemble the information which you are seeking.
A number of agencies including voluntary organisations have needed
to contribute to our response.
DERKER DEVELOPMENT
TRUST
The Derker Development Trust has recently appointed
a worker to undertake fundraising on its behalf. It is seen as
a key partner in the development of the Housing Market Renewal
programme and as such I would expect it to be possible to place
it on a sustainable footing. The Trust has recently produced a
Business Plan; should you wish to obtain a copy the contact is
Michelle Smith on 0161 628 6180.
PAKISTANI COMMUNITY
CENTRE
The Pakistani Community Centre is funded from
a variety of sources. The Council funds it from Main Programme
Grants—a total of £43,135 per annum. A typical timetable
of usage is attached. According to our information, approximately
500 people use the centre each week to undertake regular activities—with
several hundred more taking part in one off cultural or local
events. Mr Mohammed Alyas will be able to give you more detailed
information on 0161 628 4800.
OLDHAM BANGLADESHI
ASSOCIATION AND
THE MILLENNIUM
CULTURAL CENTRE
The Oldham Bangladeshi Association and the Millennium
Cultural Centre are two separate entities.
The Oldham Bangladeshi Association is funded
by a variety of sources including the Council. The Council funds
them to a total of £8,062 per annum in the current year.
For more detailed information on this organisation please contact
them directly on 0161 626 1999 and ask for Mr Abdul Malik.
The Millennium Centre is managed by a Management
Committee made up of a variety of tenants and partners. The Centre
does not receive funding directly from the Council's Main Programme
Grants—though several of the tenants do. Mr Abdul Matin,
the Centre Manager, should be able to give you a full breakdown
of usage of the Centre. His number is 0161 622 3812.
LITTER IN
GLODWICK
There have been improvements in the collection
of litter and rubbish since September, and the appearance of the
area has been lifted. Additional area based resources have been
deployed to carry out mechanical footpath sweeping and litter
removal.
A community inspired clean-up over five weeks
in September and October raised awareness of cleanliness issues
with every household in the 30 streets in the area.
Local community activists, Shazia Azam and Tahira
Parveen, who volunteered to arrange the clean-up said "the
clean-up has been successful in making the area more pleasant,
particularly around Pitt Street and Morris Street, which were
particularly bad. More people are now ringing the 4444 telephone
number to move bulky items".
"It was nice that the Council thanked everyone
for their efforts through the radio broadcast during Ramadan.
We often warn and threaten residents and to thank them was very
welcome".
There are, however, reservations that unless
we can maintain this effort, progress will stall. We need to continue
to raise awareness through schools and mosques and repeat the
community clean-up at regular times throughout the year.
NUGGET STREET
NEIGHBOURHOOD LINK
PROJECT
There are two Link Workers and two part time
Link Workers engaged in the project. Both the PCT and the Social
Services Department contribute £20,000 with Age Concern contributing
£18,000. To enhance the scheme, bids are being made to the
New Deal for Communities scheme and the Neighbourhood Renewal
fund. One of the added activities that is being considered is
the formation of a women's group and possibly a luncheon club.
Was your question about luncheon clubs specific to the Nugget
Street initiative or a more general one? Carl Bell in the Social
Services Department (telephone 0161 911 4801) would be able to
give you a fuller picture of the current position at Nugget Street
and the aspirations for future development.
SCHOOLS LINK
PROJECT
Possible sources for the future funding of the
Linking Project are currently being explored. These include funding
through the Local Public Service Agreement and an element of Council
mainstream funding to be decided.
PROPOSED REORGANISATION
OF OLDHAM'S
SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Oldham was successful in obtaining £60
million of PFI credits in the December 2003 bidding round and
is currently preparing an outline business case for the replacement
of its split site secondary schools—North Chadderton, The
Radclyffe and Failsworth—in line with the allocation.
A bid was submitted to the DFES under the Building
Schools for The Future initiative in October 2003. The total value
of the bid was £188 million. The proposals include the replacement/refurbishment
of the remaining eight Community Secondary Schools, the two Church
of England Secondary Schools and the rationalisation of the two
Roman Catholic Secondary Schools to create one school. The DFES
are to make an announcement in January 2004.
LUNCHEON CLUBS
FOR ELDERLY
ASIAN WOMEN
See above in terms of the Nugget Street initiative.
I will continue to explore this as a more general issue.
1 hope that this information is of assistance
to you in your Inquiry. We look forward to seeing the outcomes
of the Committee's work.
Andrew Fletcher
Assistant Chief Executive (Corporate Policy)
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