The 'secret letter' threatening to topple a council leader

THE WORDING OF A 'SECRET LETTER' COULD BRING UNCERTAINTY TO THE COUNCIL LEADERSHIP. 09:03, 21 May 2025Updated 09:42, 21 May 2025 A ‘secret letter’ sent to the government by Oldham

Council has sparked a major backlash in the town - just as the council leader is due to face a no confidence vote at full council on Wednesday, May 21. Earlier this year, councillors voted

to leave Places for Everyone, a plan to build 115,000 new homes across Greater Manchester that has courted criticism for its inclusion of greenbelt land. Following this the council wrote to

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner to withdraw from a controversial housing scheme. But it has since been alleged the leader sent a second 'secret' letter explaining why she did

not agree with the letter. Oldham Council has not shared the second letter publicly, despite a Freedom of Information Request by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. But the mere

suggestion of its existence has caused a stir among councillors, who are due to vote on the future of their council leader at the local authority’s annual meeting on Wednesday, May 21.

Council leader Arooj Shah faces losing her position after a challenge by councillor Kamran Ghafoor, who leads The Oldham Group, a slate of independents that are the joint-biggest political

group in the council. Coun Ghafoor is trying to create a 'rainbow alliance' between opposition groups to 'overthrow' coun Shah and take over the council. Article

continues below When asked about the letter Coun Shah said she ‘felt it important to clarify the view of the group and the administration’ and ‘can write to Government on any issue we see

fit’. But her opponents have suggest the second letter was an attempt to ‘undermine’ the will of the council. Coun Ghafoor, leader of the Oldham Group, said: "If Coun Shah wrote to

Angela Rayner in her capacity as Leader of Oldham Council to say that the Labour administration wishes to remain in Places for Everyone—despite 31 councillors voting to withdraw—then she has

not only ignored the democratic will of this chamber, she has fundamentally undermined it. "Such an action is not just disrespectful—it is a direct affront to local democracy. If

proven true, her position as council leader is untenable.” And Sam Al-Hamdani, deputy leader of the Oldham Lib Dems, who have long campaigned on the Places for Everyone issue, added:

“Unfortunately, this seems absolutely typical of the current administration of the Council. They are not interested in transparency, fairness or scrutiny. They seem happy to break the rules

when it suits them, and then play the victim card whenever someone challenges them. “If we have a Council leadership which goes against its express decision, they should publish it now.”

Other councillors have suggested there may be more nuance. One source suggested the issue hinged on the wording at the very end of the letter. They said: “There’s nothing wrong with a

political group writing to the Government to make a point - councillors do that all the time. “But if the letter is signed off under the name and title of the ‘leader of Oldham Council’

expressing the opinion of the council, that’s a really f*cking serious democratic issue.” And some have suggested it is the exact sign-off that could be putting a pivotal political

allegiance into jeopardy. Oldham’s current administration was able to cling onto power last year thanks to an agreement with the Failsworth and Shaw & Crompton independents, some of whom

ran their elections on anti Places for Everyone rhetoric. Coun Brian Hobin, leader of the Failsworth Independents, told the LDRS: "As I’m aware the letter was written on behalf of the

Labour group. If that turns out not to be the case, we have a very different situation. “I will be asking those questions because we need answers.” And coun Marc Hince, from the Shaw &

Crompton Independents, said: "I have not seen a letter myself and it would not be prudent for me to make judgements based on what I don’t know. “I would be very disappointed to find out

the government had made a decision based on a second letter instead of the one sent in response to the democratic will of the council." In the first official response from the council,

Coun Shah noted the Labour position on PfE ‘has always been clear’. Coun Shah said: “We support Oldham being part of Places for Everyone, because we recognise the need to build homes for

Oldhamers while protecting as much of our green space as possible. Article continues below “The Labour Group did not vote in favour of the motion that was carried seeking permission from the

Government to withdraw from Places for Everyone. “We can write to government on any issue we see fit, as can any other individual councillor or group. There’s nothing secret about this

letter - all we did was reinforce our publicly stated position. “Given I was compelled to sign the letter which went from council, cabinet felt it important to clarify the view of the group

and the administration."