Oldham council searching for fourth leader in three years

Oldham council is searching for its fourth new leader in just three years following the dramatic defeat of Amanda Chadderton. The former chief narrowly lost her seat in Royton South after just 12 months in the job, losing out by just 21 votes.

Ms Chadderton, who was Oldham's first openly gay leader, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service politics in Oldham had become 'toxic' in recent years. She said: "We’ve already lost two leaders in the past two years, it was always going to be hard.

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"It becomes such a highly personalised targeted campaign that revolves solely around me. When I became leader 12 months ago it was about trying to put some stability back in the town, but it was always going to be an uphill battle.

"In Oldham it's become so toxic over the past few years and that is the reason that I'm the third leader that has lost, and why we do lose seats."

There's speculation she could be replaced by her predecessor Arooj Shah, who may be lining up a comeback bid as a tumultuous period in local politics in Oldham shows no sign of slowing down. Coun Shah became the first Muslim woman in the north of England to head up a council when she took the role in 2021 – but then lost her seat in last May's elections blaming a 'dehumanising smear campaign'.

Coun Shah was re-elected to the council on Friday afternoon. She didn't respond to attempts to contact her.

Coun Shah replaced Sean Fielding as leader in May 2021, after he was put to the sword by an independent candidate in Failsworth West. And last night he began a political comeback of his own, when he was elected in Breightmet in Bolton.

The leadership merry-go-round capped an election in which