In yet another pre-election Oldham Council press release we have them once again informing us of their business acumen & forward thinking in a piece entitled “Two more businesses receive Independent Quarter funding” Chronic-Oldham wishes all legitimate businesses success including the two mentioned in the article but feel that people deserve to know the economic context of Oldham Council’s constant regeneration self-praise. The two businesses mentioned have each received £10,000 to carry out building work &/or refurbishment in premises they actually own. Both businesses claim small business rate relief (business rate being the business equivalent of Council tax) & with rateable values of £4150 & £3150 respectively neither of these businesses, along with the owners of 2157 other Oldham business rate accounts, currently pay any business rates at all. Oldham Council has in recent communication’s stated that it’s house building & regeneration schemes are about making Oldham a desirable place to live & work thus increasing revenue from Council Tax & business rates in the face of Government budget cuts. It has to be asked what are Oldham Council’s plans for Oldham when this constant borrowing for so called regeneration & the ever increasing in work benefit bill comes to an inevitable end and businesses & people have to rely on their own earnings alone to pay their way?
