Ten councillors across seven wards, working for residents all year round — not just at election time.
Ten councillors across seven wards, working for residents all year round — not just at election time.
Photo: Oldham town centre from Hartshead Pike by G-13114, CC BY-SA 4.0
Tell us what would make your street, your ward and your town better. Every idea is read by our councillors.
The Oldham Group is a local political party. We work for residents all year round, not just at election time.
The group was set up on Oldham Council in late 2023 by Councillor Kamran Ghafoor, after he resigned from the Conservatives, together with Abdul Wahid and Muhammad Irfan, who were Hollinwood councillors at the time. It is led by Kamran Ghafoor, with Councillor Aisha Kouser as Deputy Leader. After the May 2026 elections we have 10 councillors representing Alexandra, Coldhurst, Hollinwood, Saddleworth South, St Mary's, Waterhead and Werneth — the third-largest group on the Council.[source]
In the Council chamber we have pushed for longer cemetery hours, free school travel for children in temporary accommodation, free digital post-mortems for bereaved families, cheaper school uniforms, action on fly-tipping and a strategy to cut child poverty. Since September 2026 Kamran Ghafoor has been the Council’s Lead Member for Health and Adult Care, with Aisha Kouser as interim Deputy Lead Member.[source]
The issues residents raise with us most, and the ones we take up with the Council.
Full Council approved interim governance arrangements on 16 September. Cllr Kamran Ghafoor was appointed interim Lead Member for Health and Adult Care, with Cllr Aisha Kouser as interim Deputy Lead Member.
Source: Oldham Council
The motion moved by Cllr Zaheer Ali and seconded by Cllr Sonny Shah Arstan, calling for a measurable, cross-party plan to reduce child poverty, was carried.
Source: Council minutes (draft) · motion details
Cllr Ghafoor proposed that the Leader’s post rotate between groups with a balanced Cabinet. It was not agreed.
Source: Council papers · motion details
Called for a practical, measurable and cross-party programme to reduce child poverty in Oldham, building on existing support and learning from councils elsewhere.
Proposed that the Leader’s post rotate between the political groups for the rest of the year, with a rotating Deputy Leader and a politically balanced Cabinet, to end the deadlock.
Moved amendments nominating Cllr Sam Al-Hamdani and then Cllr Mark Kenyon as Leader, and proposals to change procedure rules to allow other ways of electing a Leader and further nominations.
Local people standing up for their wards in the Oldham Council elections, May 2027. More candidates will be announced soon.
10 July 2024 · Open on YouTube (new tab)
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