Oldham Council paid OCL £375,148 more in lockdown March to June than it did for the same period in 2019

In June some 3 months into the lockdown with all leisure services completely closed down Oldham Council paid OCL over £540,000 including £110,000 for room hire and £8,540 for agency staff. Oldham Council only agreed to reimburse OCL for loss of income on the 24/08/2020 so no payment had been made to cover losses in June. What they did in June was to agree a financial assistance package with the usual restricted enclosure in place so no details given to the public. In 2019 between March and June Oldham Council made payments of £227,884 to OCL between March and June 2020 they made payments to OCL totalling £603,032. Figures can be verified by checking spending records published on the council website. Around the time they agreed the assistance package for OCL they told independent market traders they would have to pay full rent for the entire lockdown period. Until Labour Oldham Council publish a detailed breakdown of where money has been spent since we went in lockdown C-O will continue to publish anomalous spending figures from within the councils accounts. Ask yourself is it acceptable during the current socioeconomic crisis for Oldham Council to rent a hall from OCL for £109,600 to store food for the food bank when their own Queen Elizabeth hall stands empty and unused?

Oldham Council spending records June 2020