# 2022 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2022 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 5 May 2022. One third—20 out of 60—of councillors on Oldham Council was elected. The election took place alongside other local elections across the United Kingdom.
In the previous council election in 2021, the Labour Party maintained its control of the council, holding 40 of the council's 60 seats. The Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats held eight seats each, and various independents held the remaining four.
Labour maintained their majority on the council, but lost five of their seats to a total of thirty-five members.

## Background
### History

The Local Government Act 1972 created a two-tier system of metropolitan counties and districts covering Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, the West Midlands, and West Yorkshire starting in 1974. Oldham was a district of the Greater Manchester metropolitan county. The Local Government Act 1985 abolished the metropolitan counties, with metropolitan districts taking on most of their powers as metropolitan boroughs. The Greater Manchester Combined Authority was created in 2011 and began electing the mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017, which was given strategic powers covering a region coterminous with the former Greater Manchester metropolitan county.
Since its formation, Oldham Council has typically been under Labour control or no overall control, with a period of Conservative control from 1978 to 1980 and Liberal Democrat control from 2000 to 2002. Labour most recently gained overall control of the council in the 2011 election. The council leader Sean Fielding lost his seat to the Failsworth Independent Party in the most recent council election in 2021, in which Labour won nine of the twenty seats up for election, with the Conservatives winning five, the Liberal Democrats winning three and the Failsworth Independent Party winning two. Fielding had challenged the council's leader Jean Stretton in May 2018, demanding more street cleaners, landlord licensing, more housing in the city centre to reduce green belt development, and better connections to other areas of Greater Manchester.
Positions up for election in 2022 were last elected in 2018. In that election, 18 Labour councillors were elected, as were two Conservatives, and two Liberal Democrats.

### Council term

After Sean Fielding's defeat, the council's deputy leader Arooj Shah was elected leader. She promised to spend more on street cleaning and stronger enforcement against littering and fly tipping, as well as proposing ways to support local businesses.
The Conservative councillor Sahr Abid resigned in March 2022 citing work commitments, having been elected in 2021. A by-election will be held to fill her seat alongside the main council election.

## Electoral process

The council elects its councillors in thirds, with a third being up for election every year for three years, with no election in the fourth year. The election will take place by first-past-the-post voting, with wards generally being represented by three councillors, with one elected in each election year to serve a four-year term.
All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in Oldham aged 18 or over will be entitled to vote in the election. People who live at two addresses in different councils, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, are entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities. Voting in-person at polling stations will take place from 07:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters will be able to apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election.

## Results summary

2022 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Labour | 11 | 5 | 52.4 | 24 | 35 | 58.3 | 25,995 | 46.0 | +6.5 |
| | Conservative | 4 | 1 | 19.0 | 5 | 9 | 15.0 | 11,749 | 20.8 | -3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 3 | 1 | 14.3 | 6 | 9 | 15.0 | 7,435 | 13.2 | +2.2 |
| | Failsworth Independent Party | 2 | 2 | 9.5 | 3 | 5 | 8.3 | 2,892 | 5.1 | -0.1 |
| | Independent | 1 | 1 | 4.8 | 1 | 2 | 3.3 | 2,646 | 4.7 | -4.4 |
| | Proud of Oldham and Saddleworth | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 4,092 | 7.2 | +0.6 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 909 | 1.6 | -1.2 |
| | Northern Heart | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 520 | 0.9 | -0.4 |
| | National Housing Party | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 174 | 0.3 | N/A |
| | ADF | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 79 | 0.1 | N/A |

## Ward results

The results are as follows:

### Alexandra

Alexandra :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Shaid Mushtaq | 1,401 | 76.3 | +6.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Dinoff | 264 | 14.4 | +8.9 |
| | Green | Andrea Chaverra Valencia | 172 | 9.4 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,137 | 61.9 | 9.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,837 | 24.14 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Chadderton Central

Chadderton Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Colin McLaren | 1,340 | 51.8 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative | Sharif Miah | 818 | 31.6 | −1.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barbara Beeley | 153 | 5.9 | +1.2 |
| | Northern Heart (UK) Oldham | Cath Jackson | 145 | 5.6 | −1.0 |
| | Green | Jess Mahoney | 130 | 5.0 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 522 | 20.2 | 4.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 31.29 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Chadderton North

Chadderton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Barbara Brownridge | 1,546 | 53.1 | +5.5 |
| | Conservative | Moudud Ahmed | 1,027 | 35.3 | +19.8 |
| | Green | Daniel Clayton | 173 | 5.9 | +1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Katie Gloster | 165 | 5.7 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 519 | 17.8 | 0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 34.95 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Chadderton South

Chadderton South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Barnes | 1,197 | 47.1 | +6.5 |
| | Labour | Arooj Shah | 1,101 | 43.3 | −3.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joe Beeston | 244 | 9.6 | +6.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 96 | 3.8 | n/a |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 31.93 | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Coldhurst

Coldhurst :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Montaz Azad | 2,075 | 48.6 | +3.6 |
| | Labour | Abdul Malik | 1,868 | 43.7 | −2.8 |
| | Conservative | Michele Stockton | 195 | 4.6 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Hall | 132 | 3.1 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 207 | 4.9 | n/a |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 48.15 | |
| | Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Crompton

Crompton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dave Murphy | 1,353 | 51.0 | +9.1 |
| | Conservative | Phelyp Bennett | 617 | 23.2 | −12.0 |
| | Labour | Syed Ali | 377 | 14.2 | +1.1 |
| | Proud of Oldham and Saddleworth | Chelle Moore | 307 | 11.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 736 | 26.8 | 20.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 32.85 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Failsworth East

Failsworth East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Failsworth Independent Party | Lucia Rea | 1,502 | 65.0 | +7.0 |
| | Labour | Marzia Babakarkhail | 722 | 31.2 | −2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lynne Thompson | 88 | 3.8 | +2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 778 | 33.8 | n/a |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 29.93 | |
| | Failsworth Independent Party gain from Labour | Failsworth Independent Party gain from Labour | | | |

### Failsworth West

Failsworth West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Failsworth Independent Party | Sandra Ball | 1,390 | 57.2 | +11.1 |
| | Labour Co-op | Peter Davis | 973 | 40.0 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Keith Pendlebury | 68 | 2.8 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 417 | 17.2 | n/a |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 31.06 | |
| | Failsworth Independent Party gain from Labour | Failsworth Independent Party gain from Labour | | | |

### Hollinwood

Hollinwood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jean Stretton | 1,010 | 58.9 | +6.5 |
| | Conservative | Maqsood Hussain | 313 | 18.3 | −5.9 |
| | National Housing Party Our People First | John Lawrence | 174 | 10.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Karen Barton | 151 | 8.8 | +3.7 |
| | Northern Heart (UK) Oldham | Rob Vance | 67 | 3.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 697 | 40.6 | 12.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 22.30 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Medlock Vale

Medlock Vale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sajed Hussain | 2,128 | 62.4 | +29.5 |
| | Labour | Umar Nasheen | 2,069 | 60.7 | +27.8 |
| | Conservative | Kaiser Rehman | 670 | 19.7 | −27.9 |
| | Proud of Oldham and Saddleworth | Mark Birchall | 604 | 17.7 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative | Tuhin Rahman | 343 | 10.1 | −37.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lewis Farnworth | 289 | 8.5 | +5.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Lord | 102 | 3.0 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,409 | 37.40 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |

### Royton North

Royton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lewis Quigg | 1,222 | 47.4 | +4.3 |
| | Labour | Hannah Roberts | 1,033 | 40.1 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Swift | 152 | 5.9 | +1.3 |
| | Green | Lina Valencia Shaw | 93 | 3.6 | N/A |
| | ADF | Paul Goldring | 79 | 3.1 | −7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 189 | 7.3 | n/a |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 33.96 | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Royton South

Royton South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Marie Bashforth | 1,039 | 43.0 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative | Gary Tarbuck | 967 | 40.0 | +2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jeff Garner | 124 | 5.1 | +0.6 |
| | Green | Jim Stidworthy | 119 | 4.9 | −2.4 |
| | Independent | Anthony Prince | 103 | 4.3 | +0.5 |
| | Northern Heart (UK) Oldham | Anne Fiander-Taylor | 67 | 2.8 | −2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 72 | 3.0 | 1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 29.86 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Saddleworth North

Saddleworth North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Pam Byrne | 1,292 | 42.8 | +7.3 |
| | Labour Co-op | Joshua Charters | 867 | 28.7 | +10.8 |
| | Proud of Oldham and Saddleworth | Gary Kershaw | 527 | 17.5 | +2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mick Scholes | 334 | 11.1 | −13.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 425 | 14.1 | 2.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 39.21 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Saddleworth South

Saddleworth South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Chris McManus | 1,196 | 34.6 | −1.1 |
| | Labour | John Fay | 819 | 23.7 | +0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevin Dawson | 673 | 19.5 | +3.7 |
| | Independent | Helen Bishop | 468 | 13.5 | +5.2 |
| | Proud of Oldham and Saddleworth | Simon Hodgson | 302 | 8.7 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 377 | 10.9 | 1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 42.76 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Saddleworth West & Lees

Saddleworth West & Lees :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alicia Marland | 1,379 | 43.2 | +13.4 |
| | Proud of Oldham and Saddleworth | Paul Shilton | 1,102 | 34.5 | +6.0 |
| | Labour | Ghazala Rana | 407 | 12.8 | −9.6 |
| | Conservative | Jonathan Ford | 303 | 9.5 | −9.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 277 | 8.7 | n/a |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.27 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Shaw

Shaw :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hazel Gloster | 1,030 | 42.7 | −5.5 |
| | Proud of Oldham and Saddleworth | Marc Hince | 928 | 38.5 | +15.3 |
| | Labour Co-op | Dion Linton | 453 | 18.8 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 102 | 4.2 | 20.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 32.35 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### St James

St James :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Leanne Munroe | 866 | 39.6 | +4.0 |
| | Conservative | Tom Lord | 807 | 36.9 | −7.1 |
| | Proud of Oldham and Saddleworth | Amoy Lindo Crooks | 322 | 14.7 | +2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joe Gloster | 111 | 5.1 | +0.9 |
| | Green | Roger Pakeman | 82 | 3.7 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 59 | 2.7 | n/a |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 25.66 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### St Mary's

St Mary's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ali Salamat | 1,896 | 78.8 | +37.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roger Blackmore | 203 | 8.4 | +5.0 |
| | Conservative | Shefur Miah | 168 | 7.0 | +2.4 |
| | Green | Miranda Meadowcroft | 140 | 5.8 | +3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,693 | 70.4 | n/a |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 27.04 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Waterhead

Waterhead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Riaz Ahmad | 1,350 | 59.4 | +9.4 |
| | Conservative | Lynne Kovacs | 435 | 19.2 | −2.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Linda Dawson | 245 | 10.8 | −2.4 |
| | Northern Heart (UK) Oldham | Paul Taylor | 241 | 10.6 | ±0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 915 | 40.2 | 11.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 26.71 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Werneth

Werneth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Shoab Akhtar | 2,730 | 88.5 | +8.8 |
| | Conservative | Mohammad Alom | 179 | 5.8 | −6.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pat Lord | 175 | 5.7 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,551 | 82.7 | 15.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 35.41 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |