Liberal Democrats secure say for Oldham residents on Mills Hill changes

Oldham residents will now have a say on proposed changes affecting Mills Hill railway station as part of the new Rochdale Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), following an intervention by Oldham’s Liberal Democrats.

New Mayoral Development Corporations are being proposed across a number of locations in Greater Manchester, with the aim of attracting investment, targeting funding and creating more efficient ways to deliver regeneration and development.

However, concerns that the new arrangements could reduce local scrutiny and public involvement prompted Oldham Liberal Democrats to push for additional safeguards for residents affected by proposals on the borough boundary.

Liberal Democrat Group Leader Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said:

“Mills Hill railway station is incredibly important for Oldham borough. With Greenfield the only railway station actually within the borough, Mills Hill provides the closest access to the rail network for a huge number of Oldham residents.

“As originally proposed, including Mills Hill within the Rochdale MDC would have meant Oldham residents had no direct input into decisions affecting a station they rely on every day, simply because it sits on the other side of what is, in practical terms, an arbitrary line on a map.”

Following the Liberal Democrats’ intervention, Oldham will now be consulted on any works affecting Mills Hill station. Oldham representatives will also be invited to observe meetings of the MDC Board when the station is on the agenda, while the council will be consulted on proposals involving land adjacent to the boundary between Rochdale and Oldham.

Councillor Al-Hamdani added:

“It’s very easy when working on major projects to forget that these are political boundaries, not practical ones. People’s daily lives don’t stop at the borough boundary.

“I’m delighted that officers have acted on this so quickly. The people of Oldham who use Mills Hill need the station to work for them, and there is now a clear route for their interests to be represented when proposals come forward.”