TWO campaigning Saddleworth Parish Councillors have questioned if Saddleworth taxpayers are getting value for money from their council tax.
Cllrs Jamie Curley and Neil Allsopp have obtained figures revealing Saddleworth is the biggest single contributor to Oldham Council’s budget, paying 20.8 per cent in council tax receipts.
Now, they pushing for services to match the contribution, including immediate help with long-standing flooding issues and crumbling roads.
Cllr Curley said: “Saddleworth pays in 20.8 per cent of the total Council Tax revenue, or £19,558,762.69 in cash terms.
“My question is whether we are really seeing enough investment in our roads or flood remediation works which directly affects residents’ homes and businesses?”
Last month, Cllr Allsopp called on Oldham Council to urgently address flood defences by utilising the reserves it holds to safeguard property and livelihoods from further flooding this winter.
“The Council could claim the funds back from the Environment Agency (EA) instead of waiting up to two years for the EA funding,” he said.
“They should utilise these reserves as a matter of urgency, this money belongs to people of the borough not Oldham Council.”
Cllr Curley added: “Saddleworth has been waiting too long for these works to be done.
“Already we have had two or three, one-in-100 year events in the last 18 months. Just how many homes have to be flooded this winter before we see any action?
“Given how much we put into Oldham I think Saddleworth is getting a bad deal.
“If Oldham Council continues to plan for building more homes in Saddleworth and collecting more council tax, will we see any more investment in services?
“Or will we be treated as just a source of revenue with none of the extra spent in Saddleworth?”
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