Oldham Council has allocated £49,000 from the Public Health Grant to Voluntary Action Oldham for the provision of Community Development training for Councillors, Council staff, housing provider staff, health staff, PCSOs and voluntary and faith organisations. Yet again we have Oldham Labour Council demonstrating what a devoluted health service will look like for Oldham with the same non-contributory demographics getting the lions share of all NHS spending already targeted in Oldham on maternity care, obesity services, alcohol and drug dependency, lack of physical activity, free dental treatment, chaplaincy services, translators, demographic specific health provision, free central heating, free vouchers and now “community development”. The local NHS already fails to provide timely and effective basic services of sickness treatment, injury treatment and dental care for all Oldham demographics. It also needs to be noted that time and time again it is the same “co-op Oldham” companies and “non-profit” organisations expanding their businesses and influence on the back of scarce public funds whilst telling us what a great service they do and how eveyone should volunteer free of charge, Voluntary Action Oldham’s volunteer services have cost Oldham Council around £700,000 for 2015 – 2016.
